Jacob Moves In
by NikkiB1973
Summary: The prompt was simply Jacob moves into the Swan house. Simple enough right? Right? LOL ;) Set early Eclipse AU. Now on permanent hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-the prompt was simply Jacob moves into the Swan house. Simple enough right? Right? LOL ;)**_

Bella had just spent a tiring evening with Edward and his family. She was nursing a bad cold and a throbbing head. Edward had insisted she see Carlisle straight away, worried that a simple head cold was something far more sinister. Like always Bella had indulged him. He was always so worried about her, more so since they had returned from Italy after their run in with the Volturi. Bella shuddered. She didn't want to think about that if she could help it. It was bad enough that her time there haunted her nightmares.

"I'll wait until Charlie retires to bed." Edward promised Bella as he cradled her face in his cold hands. "Then I will be right with you. I know Carlisle said you would be fine, but I want to make sure that you have everything you need. I am at your disposal." His face softened into his crooked smile before he leaned down and pecked her on the lips.

Bella felt a tickle in her nose. She tried to hold it in but failed. She sneezed all over Edward, making him back away hastily in distaste. She felt so embarrassed and didn't dare look him in the eyes. "I am so sorry." She mumbled, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Please, love. Use a handkerchief." Edward pulled a silk handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her gingerly. "It's not healthy spreading germs that way."

Bella had to bite back a retort. What did he know about germs? He was never ill. She stifled that traitorous thought, feeling guilty for even thinking it. He was just worried about her, like he always was. Bella dabbed at her nose with the silken handkerchief. "You don't have to come tonight, Edward." She suggested tentatively. "I'm only going to be sleeping anyway." She bit her lip, hoping that he would take the none too subtle hint that she would like some time to recover on her own without his constant scrutiny.

"Nonsense." Edward put his forefinger under her chin and raised her head so she was forced to gaze at his handsome face. Being dazzled by his beauty only made her feel plainer than ever. "You need me. I am going to take good care of you…"

Before Edward could finish Bella sneezed right in his face.

* * *

She felt completely mortified. Bella crept into the house and shut the door behind her as quietly as possible, hoping that Charlie wouldn't hear her come in. She just wanted to run to her room and hide. But no such luck. As soon as she put one foot on the staircase it creaked loudly, announcing her arrival.

"Bells, I thought that was you." Charlie came out of the front room, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. He rocked on his heels and gave her a sheepish smile. "Could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can it wait?" Bella begged. Her voice sounded thick because of her stuffy nose. She sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve again. "I'm not feeling too well."

"It's just a head cold, kiddo." Charlie brushed her ailment away as if it was nothing. The contrast to Edward's anxiety over her blocked nose was striking.

"My head does hurt." Bella insisted, wanting at least a little sympathy from her dad after completely forgetting only moments ago she had been trying to avoid him.

"Take some Tylenol." Charlie suggested. He jerked his head toward the front room. "Come and sit down, there's something I need to tell you."

"Okay." Bella finally caved in. The quicker she let him speak, the sooner she would be tucked up in bed feeling sorry for herself. She followed Charlie into the front room, immediately heading for the sofa, but stopping when she noticed it was already occupied by someone else. "Jake?" She questioned in surprise.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. They had only just reconciled after fighting for weeks after she returned from Italy with Edward in tow. "I bet you didn't expect to see me."

"Uh…no." Bella croaked. She was so bunged up that she could barely breathe. She pulled out Edward's silk handkerchief and wiped her nose. She noticed Jacob's nose wrinkle in disgust. Bella knew it wasn't because he was disgusted that she was spreading her germs like Edward, but more likely that he could smell her boyfriend all over her. She smiled apologetically and shrugged helplessly. She was rewarded with an amused smile from Jacob.

"Jake's gonna stay with us for a week or so, Bells." Charlie had no idea of the silent communication passing between them.

"Why?" Bella felt confused. Her gaze drifted to Jacob who was hanging his head now, shielding his eyes from her so she couldn't see what he was feeling.

"Billy was taken to hospital a few hours ago." Charlie revealed without preamble. He sighed heavily when he heard Bella's gasp of surprise. "You don't need to stress, Billy's stable, but they want to keep him in to monitor his condition and get his blood sugar levels under control."

"Oh, Jake, I didn't know." Bella lamented as shame burned her cheeks. They had been so out of touch in recent weeks that she had no idea that Billy's diabetes was affecting him so badly.

"It's alright, Bells." Jacob shrugged as if it was no big deal when it was.

"It's not." Bella went straight to him and settled next to him on the sofa. "I should have been there for you." She whispered sadly. Tears filled her eyes and she tried to blink them away. She put her hand over his. Her touch seemed to surprise him and he raised his head to look at her properly. Bella noticed the fear in his eyes which he was trying to hide from Charlie. "I'm sorry I haven't been such a good friend lately, but I'm here now. You come first."

"First." Jacob said huskily. "Is that true?" He really needed it to be the truth.

Bella squeezed his fingers. "You have all of my attention." She promised.

* * *

Bella had taken some Tylenol and it had sent her to sleep for a couple of hours, but now she was awake again. She couldn't breathe through her nose so had been sleeping with her mouth open. Her throat felt dry and scratchy. Bella rolled onto her side, groaning at the ache in her head. In the room across the hall she could hear Charlie snoring like a freight train. Well he clearly wasn't worried that she was ill. Bella sat up and reached for her box of tissues. She blew her nose loudly, half hoping that the noise would wake Charlie, serve him right if it did. But his snoring continued on in a steady rhythm. Bella wondered if Jacob was managing to sleep. With his sensitive ears Charlie's snores must be at ear splitting decibels.

There was a soft knock on her door. "Bells, you awake." It opened slightly, letting in a shaft of moonlight.

"I'm awake." Bella whispered to Jacob as he slipped silently into her room. He closed the door behind him and it was dark again. He walked over to her and knelt beside her bed. "Worried about Billy?" Bella asked in concern. All she could see was his profile.

"Yeah, and you." Jacob reached across and put his hand on her forehead. The warmth emanating from his touch was soothing and eased the ache in her head. "You're nearly as hot as me." He mused.

"That is not humanely possible." Bella rasped. She sighed when he dropped his hand back to his side.

"Believe me you are the hottest girl I know." Jacob's teeth flashed white in the darkness as he smiled.

"If you say so." Bella mumbled. There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment only disturbed by Bella's loud breathing and Charlie's incessant snoring. "Are you comfortable on the sofa bed down there?" She asked eventually for something to say.

"It's too small. My legs hang off the end." Jacob stood up and stretched his legs for effect. "But I'll be fine." He hesitated for a moment. "Can I get you anything?" He offered. "Some water? More painkillers?"

Bella thought about it for a moment. She really didn't want to take any more Tylenol; it made her stomach ache even if it eased the pain in her head. Jacob's hand on her forehead had a much better effect and was so much better than any drugs. "There is something you can do. It might actually solve both our problems."

"What's that?" Jacob asked gruffly. Moonlight was shining through the parted drapes. It bathed Bella in light. She looked so pretty with her ruffled hair and her lips pursed in concentration.

"Could you put your hand on my head again? It made the ache go away. And in return you can use the other half of my bed to sleep." Bella made this offer as if it was no big deal. She was feeling too ill to think of the ramifications and she had completely forgotten about Edward. "It's bigger than the sofa bed."

"You want me to sleep in here with you….in the same bed?" Jacob's tone was disbelieving as he checked that was what she really meant.

"Uh huh, that's about it." Bella moved over and patted the spare spot beside her.

Jacob was so glad that the darkness hid his blush as he quickly scooted onto the bed beside her before she had a chance to rethink and retract the offer. He put his arm tentatively around Bella as she shifted closer to him and nestled into his side. "You are toasty warm." She sighed in bliss as she felt his long fingers massage her forehead. "You have to make sure you get up before dad does, though. Don't forget." She murmured.

"I won't." Jacob promised as he watched Bella's eyes begin to close.

"Choose whatever you want for breakfast in the morning. "I'll make it."

"Thanks."

"I'll make something for Billy, too. We can take it with us when we visit him in the hospital."

"Thanks, Bells." Jacob's eyes were shining in the darkness.

Bella drifted to sleep as Jacob's gentle ministrations soothed the ache in her head. She rested against his shoulder; it was much easier to breathe now she wasn't lying on her back anymore. Jacob played with a tendril of her hair as he watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, and when she mumbled his name, he felt his heart miss a beat.

* * *

Edward Cullen climbed in through Bella's window in the early hours of the morning. He had been delayed because Carlisle had persuaded him to go hunting at the last moment in order to slake his thirst if he planned on nursing Bella back to health. It meant he could spend days without having to leave her side and fight his temptations. He didn't make it all the way through the window though. Something stopped him. And that something was Jacob Black wrapped around Bella in her bed. Edward froze like a marble statue as he heard his beloved Bella mumble Jacob's name. Her fingers flexed as they touched Jacob's cheek in her sleep as if testing he was real.

Edward couldn't remember the last time that Bella had spoken his name like that other than in her nightmares. She wasn't having a nightmare now. He noticed Jacob Black stirring. The shifter opened his eyes and looked in his direction. Edward stayed poised on the windowsill, fighting the urge to rip the dog's heart out. But then Bella murmured Jacob's name again, distracting him from his dark intent. Jacob broke the staring contest to lull her back to sleep. Then without bothering to glance Edward's way again, he rested his head next to Bella's and closed his eyes.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! A few readers asked me to add to this one. I didn't really have any direction for it to go as such, but I'll post as and when I get any inspiration, LOL. If anyone else has any ideas feel free to mention them.**_

 **Chapter Two**

Jacob did manage to wake up early enough to sneak back downstairs before Charlie woke up and realised he had spent the night in his daughter's room. The whole thing had been innocent. Bella had snuggled up to him, relishing in his warmth as she struggled with her cold. Jacob had rubbed her head tenderly every time she stirred, moaning softly that her head hurt. With his gentle ministrations she had managed to get a good night's sleep. He headed into the kitchen and boiled the kettle. He was feeling wired and full of energy. Once the kettle clicked off Jacob poured the hot water into a mug and added some instant coffee, plus a few sugars and a dash of milk. He had a lot on his mind, not just worrying about his dad being in the hospital, but about what he should tell Bella about last night when Edward had snuck into her room.

Just thinking about the bloodsucker crawling through her window like that while she was asleep and vulnerable set his teeth on edge. It was so intrusive and such an invasion of privacy. Is that what Cullen did every night? Did Bella not feel violated by his actions? Jacob knew even if he asked she wouldn't admit it. No one was allowed to say anything detracting about her boyfriend. It was such a tense situation. He knew he was going to have to mention Edward's late night visit, but the thought left a sour taste in his mouth. Jacob had enjoyed having all of Bella's attention. She had focused solely on him. It felt good that he was her main priority for once; it was like she had chosen him over Edward. He didn't expect it to last long, but he wanted to hold onto it as long as he could.

There was a heavy tread on the stairs. Jacob heard Charlie yawn as he staggered down the stairs. The chief definitely wasn't a morning person. Charlie appeared in the doorway, his hair sticking up in all directions. "You alright, kid?" He asked tiredly. "Did you manage to sleep?"

"Yeah, thanks." Jacob smiled gratefully. "I made some coffee. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind." Charlie rubbed his eyes and stretched. "Treat this place like your home. It more or less is anyway. You were fine before…" He shrugged, not wanting to bring Edward's name into the conversation. "Do you feel like a fry up, kid?" Jacob stood up. He towered over Charlie, making the older man blink as he gazed up at him. "Jeez, I am never gonna get used to how tall you are." He said, shaking his head.

Jacob tried to hide his amused smile. "Shall I go and wake Bells up." He offered.

"Yes…." Charlie began before he abruptly changed his mind. "No I'll do it. She's very frosty in the mornings. You have to treat her with kid gloves. She's even worse when she's got a cold." He laughed nervously.

Jacob knew that Charlie was just trying to put him off for a different reason. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of him being in Bella's room. He was so old fashioned in his ideas that it was quite funny. "Why don't I start breakfast then and you wake Bells up." He said instead.

"Good idea." Charlie agreed without thinking. It was a decision he would soon regret.

* * *

Bella stared at the blackened stove and the grimy paintwork in the kitchen. It was just unbelievable. Who would have thought her wakeup call would be the smoke alarm going off. She put her hands on her hips and tried to breathe through her stuffy nose. For once she was glad she had temporarily lost her sense of smell. The acrid stench was still making her eyes water though. She looked to her right. Charlie was standing beside her, scratching his head, gazing at the damage as if he had no idea how it could possibly have happened. To her left Jacob was looking sheepish. He had apologised over and over until Bella had snapped at him to put a sock in it.

"Why?" She asked Jacob. "Why would you even attempt it?" She didn't give him a chance to respond before she flung a similar question at her bewildered father. "And why would you let him? Jake can't boil water without burning the place down." She shook her head before returning her attention to Jacob. "You know you can't cook. You're awful, Jake. Just absolutely awful at it."

"Jeez, Bells, don't hold back will you." Jacob mumbled. "I just wanted to give something back. You know…for letting me stay here."

Bella refused to feel any sympathy for him. Her foot began to tap on the floor. Charlie still seemed to be in shock. He kept opening and closing his mouth like a landed fish. "Mowing the lawn is giving something back." She hissed at Jacob. "Raking up the leaves or fine tuning the cruiser's engine is giving something back. But burning down my kitchen is just creating more work." She sneezed violently at the end for affect.

"I'm sorry." Jacob spread his hands out and gave her his best puppy dog look but it wasn't washing with Bella. "Come on, honey. I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident."

"And look what you've done to him." Bella waved her arm at her father. Charlie still seemed dazed. He was surveying the damage as if he couldn't believe it was real. "You know it's gonna take dad a long time to recover from this."

"It's just a few patches of singed paintwork." Jacob thought Bella was going over the top about things. "The stove can be cleaned up easily."

Bella gazed at him irritably as she wiped her dripping nose on the sleeve of her dressing gown. If Edward saw her lack of hygiene he would be appalled. But right now he was the last thing on her mind. "It's not the ruined paintwork, Jake. It's the fact that my dad will have to spend money putting it right. You know what a tight ass he is with money. I'll never hear the end of his complaining if he has to dip his hand in his wallet and pay for a tin of paint. The last time he opened it I swear moths flew out and the hinges creaked."

Jacob laughed at the picture Bella painted of Charlie, pulling the older man out of his stupor. He had caught the tail end of his daughter's comment. "I am not a tight ass." He retorted indignantly. "I'm just careful with money."

"If you say so, Mr Krabbs." Bella muttered, referencing the notoriously tight fisted crab in the SpongeBob cartoon. She pulled her dressing gown tighter around her and wiped her nose again.

"It's better than being a Squidward." Charlie threw back at her. "I told you she's not a morning person didn't I, kid." He directed this to Jacob.

Jacob was enjoying the banter between Bella and Charlie. He had missed it. He had missed seeing Bella so relaxed and at ease in her own skin. When Cullen had come back into her life it was like she had retreated into herself, but here was proof that his girl was still there when the leech wasn't around sucking the life out of her.

"Well we're just going to have to go and grab breakfast at the diner this morning." Bella announced as she headed for the stairs. "And you're paying, Mr Krabbs. And by the way I bag the first shower."

Charlie's mouth dropped open in disbelief at this presumption. "Do you know how much they charge in that place?" He called after her.

Bella just smiled.

* * *

With his hair freshly washed and a change of clothes Jacob was feeling good. He accompanied Bella and Charlie to the diner. He had completely forgotten all about telling Bella about her late night visitor. She hadn't mentioned Cullen once, which was unusual for her. And Jacob sure didn't want that to change any time soon. Father and daughter continued to bicker as Charlie tried to convince Bella that he was really a generous soul and not a miser. As soon as they stepped inside they were shown to one of the best tables by Cora, the waitress had a crush on Charlie, not that the police chief ever seemed to notice.

While Charlie was browsing the breakfast menu and interrogating Cora about the cheapest options, Bella hid behind her large menu and whispered to Jacob. "Choose the most expensive option. You're a guest so he can't complain."

Jacob put his head close to hers. "That's just plain evil, Bells." He whispered back. "I nearly burnt his kitchen down. I can't ask him to fork out for an expensive breakfast."

"If you want to keep me happy you will." A wicked gleam lit up Bella's eyes. Jacob loved the cute smirk she was wearing. What he wouldn't give to kiss those delectable lips.

"Cora says she can give us a discount if you opt for the child's breakfast, Bells." Charlie broke through their conspiratorial conversation. He was looking pleased with himself that he had managed to secure a discount and Cora was looking pleased because she had pleased her crush.

Bella closed her menu and pursed her lips. "I'm eighteen, dad." She pointed out mildly.

"I know that." Charlie blustered. His cheeks turned red and he chuckled awkwardly when Cora giggled at Bella's comment. "But you always eat like a bird…."

"But I'm not well."

"Exactly." Charlie held onto this and ran with it. "So you shouldn't eat too much or you could make your cold worse."

"But weren't you the one who told me I needed to eat more roughage." Bella flashed him an innocent smile. "I'll have the special, Cora. Thank you."

"Really?" Cora squawked in surprise. "That's the most expensive option." She pointed out as she laughed nervously. Her crush was scowling irritably.

"Dad doesn't mind. Anything for his little girl." Bella said easily as she directed a challenging smile toward Charlie.

"No…not at all." Charlie sounded like he was choking.

"Awesome." Bella said brightly. "Can you make it three specials, Cora? One for each of us."

Jacob felt laughter bubbling up inside. He was finding it difficult to contain it. Charlie's face was a picture. Jacob could almost see the panicked thought bubble over the police chief's head as he calculated the cost. He knew he should feel guilty that the older man was spending money unnecessarily, but he couldn't. Bella was enjoying the battle of wills she had engaged with her father, and Jacob was having fun watching her do it. He couldn't wait to tell Billy all about it when he visited him later in the hospital. His father was going to love it.

* * *

Bella held on to Jacob's arm as they walked back to the house along with Charlie. She was feeling sick again after eating such a gargantuan breakfast. Jacob had discreetly helped her out by nicking some of her food when Charlie was looking elsewhere, but still Bella had overindulged. Charlie was feeling overfull, too. He burped, rubbing his stomach, groaning. "I'm not sure I'm up for any of the paperwork this morning." He complained. "I might call in and go visit Billy instead. What do you say, kid?" He said to Jacob. "I'll call your school and get you excused for the morning."

"I'm up for it." Jacob knew this wouldn't be a problem. He rarely went to school these days. He looked at Bella. She was chewing on her lower lip, brow furrowed. "Bells?" He said cautiously. Please not let her mention the bloodsucker. He waited on tenterhooks for her to say something, anything.

Then…

"I'd like to come. Can you phone in for me too, dad?" She asked.

Jacob could breathe again. He smiled, squeezing Bella's fingers gently in thanks. She smiled back at him and nudged him in the side with her elbow.

"Oh, well, it looks like we're all taking a sick day." Charlie shrugged nonchalantly as he led the way back to the house.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story! Well I feel like having some fun after a hellish week at work…**_

 **Chapter Three**

Jacob was ecstatic to see that his dad was looking so much better. Billy's skin wasn't so waxy and he appeared brighter and less sallow. He didn't do much to hide his surprise that Bella had accompanied Charlie and Jacob to see him. He was pleased to see her and greeted her enthusiastically. But unfortunately because of her cold she had to keep her distance. She didn't want to sneeze or cough all over him. So she hovered in the background and listened to Charlie complain how much he had just spent on breakfast and that the diner had a cheek for charging so much.

"You've got to treat yourself occasionally, Chief." Billy pointed out mildly as he tuned Charlie out. He was more focused on his son. He had been so worried about Jacob spending time at the Swan's with Bella's boyfriend hovering around like a bad smell. He had tried to dissuade his son from staying there after Charlie made the initial offer. He was concerned that Jacob could get hurt, but so far he seemed to be thriving. Billy relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the visit. "I should be out of here soon."

"That's good to hear." Charlie said, pleased.

"That's great, Billy." Bella smiled as she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her jacket. She had forgotten to bring any tissues with her. She felt so bunged up and her voice sounded nasally. "When you're completely better dad suggested he could take you for one of those special breakfasts he's spent so much time complaining about."

Billy guffawed loudly at the indignant look that Charlie threw his daughter. He hadn't seen Bella like this before, not that he could remember anyway. He glanced at his son, Jacob was grinning broadly, happy to see Bella still teasing Charlie, even if she was feeling rough with a cold. "I'll take you up on that offer, chief."

"Why not?" Charlie said grudgingly. "I mean it's only money. Why don't I just hand over my hard earned cash and we can have a party. Invite Sue and the kids. Maybe Old Quil and his lot, too."

"That's an awesome idea, Chief Krabbs" Bella quipped. "That offer came right from the heart, didn't it?"

Bella's nickname for Charlie made Billy chuckle. He held his stomach as he tried to breathe properly. His friend's face was an absolute picture. He wished he had a camera to hand to snap it for posterity. "Nice one, Bella. Chief Krabbs. It suits you, old man."

"Is this pick on Charlie day or what?" Charlie blustered. He caught the mischievous gleam in Billy's eyes and couldn't help but join in the laughter. He was secretly happy to see his friend in such high spirits, even if it was at his expense.

* * *

They stayed with Billy for a couple of hours before he began to tire and the nurses ushered them out of his room. Charlie promised that they would all see him again later that evening. Billy's eyes were already closing before they had even left the room. Bella noticed that Jacob seemed anxious at leaving his father behind in the hospital. She knew why. This was Carlisle Cullen's turf. Billy had objected strongly to being treated here, but his condition had worsened to such an extent that Jacob had overruled his dad's wishes and driven him straight there. Bella was pleased that Carlisle had the good sense to keep his distance and avoid crossing paths with Billy or any of his visitors, but the same couldn't be said of his adopted son, Edward. Bella felt her cell vibrating in her pocket signalling another missed call from him.

Jacob kept glancing at Bella discreetly as they left the hospital. Her brow was furrowed. He could hear her cell buzzing constantly. He knew who it was and it irritated the hell out of him that the leech just wouldn't leave her alone even for a second. Bella had fired off a text to Edward telling him she wouldn't be in school that day. She had done it deliberately because she didn't have the energy to talk to him and deflect his concerns for her welfare. But even though the bloodsucker knew that Bella was perfectly fine he still had to keep stalking her. It made Jacob's boil.

"Are you alright?" Bella asked in concern when she noticed the tension on his face. She assumed he was still worried about leaving Billy. She touched his hand lightly and smiled up at him endearingly.

"I'm alright." Jeez, she was just too cute when she gazed up at him like that from under her thick lashes. He loved that she was showing such concern for him. He revelled in it. She was sticking to her promise to put him first and he wanted to hold on to her attention for as long as possible. He captured her fingers in his and held her hand. "Thanks for coming today. I know my dad enjoyed seeing you."

"Ditto." Bella didn't let go of his hand as he expected but began to stroll beside him still holding on. This was new. Jacob held his breath as she continued talking. "He looked so much brighter don't you think."

"Uh huh." Jacob was beyond forming any words. He kept staring at their joined hands, marvelling at the contrast in their skin tones. He dared to rub his thumb along Bella's palm in an intimate gesture. He waited for her to say something or shy away, but she just smiled at him again, before her nose wrinkled up and she sneezed.

"Sorry."

"Don't say sorry." Jacob swung their arms and laughter bubbled in Bella's throat which was soon lost when they heard Charlie groan ahead of them. Jacob raised his head and looked in the older man's direction curiously. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of silver as a familiar Volvo pulled up outside the Swan house. "Shit." He cussed under his breath.

Bella had gone silent. She halted, still holding tightly to Jacob's hand. She watched Edward climb gracefully out of his car and shut the door. A smile lit up his handsome face when he saw her, but soon disappeared as he zeroed in on their joined hands. He leaned against the side of his pretentious car, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his designer jacket to hide his curled fists. Bella's throat had closed up. Jacob was tense beside her and she felt an unaccustomed flicker of irritation toward Edward for showing up uninvited. He knew this would only inflame the situation, not just with Jacob, but Charlie as well.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Charlie said sourly as he stopped opposite Edward.

"I had a free period, sir." Edward replied politely as he smoothed his expression out to hide his true feelings. "So, I thought I would come and check on Bella."

"My daughter is not five. She is being well cared for. And free periods are for studying not skipping school. I suggest you get back there and stick your nose into some books instead of my daughter." Charlie sneered.

For some reason Bella found this statement funny. Only a few hours ago Charlie had been trying to convince her to eat a child's breakfast and now he was telling her boyfriend that she wasn't five years old and to stick his nose into some books instead of her. She could see how that last part could be misinterpreted. Edward was having difficulty hiding his annoyance. His nostrils flared and his lips thinned. Bella's breath hitched as she tried to stem the tide of her hysterical laughter. She made the mistake of glancing at Jacob. He was smirking, not bothering to hide his amusement at the situation. It was all so ludicrous. Bella couldn't contain it. The laughter burst out of her but sounded more like a mixture of a sneeze and a cough. Tears pooled in her eyes and she snorted again. Everyone turned to look at her in alarm, thinking she was having some kind of fit.

"Bells…." Charlie panicked. He rounded on Edward. "See what you've done by just showing up here."

"But…."

"Don't _but_ me, boy." Charlie snapped. "I'm going to talk to your father about this. I doubt he will take you skipping school lightly so you can just turn up here and distress my ill daughter."

"I never…."

"Take her inside, kid." Charlie ordered Jacob. Bella was still wheezing and spluttering as she tried to hide the fact that she was actually laughing. Jacob put his arm around her and guided her toward the house. He grinned smugly at Edward as he passed. "Now get out of here before I have that hunk of junk you drive impounded for blocking private property." Charlie barked at Edward again.

"It's…."

"Exactly." Charlie cut him off again. "Now be gone before I have you arrested for insulting an officer of the law."

"I never…I…" Edward's head was reeling as Charlie's incoherent thoughts burned his brain leaving him feeling completely frazzled. Before he had a chance to protest any further Charlie shut the door on him, sealing his precious love inside with the wolf boy.

* * *

Bella's laughing fit had turned into a coughing one instead. She sneezed rapidly three times in quick succession before leaning against Jacob in exhaustion. "I feel awful." She confessed. Everything hurt and she felt wobbly on her legs. She had overexerted herself. That coupled with the huge breakfast she'd had that morning was making her feel nauseous. She didn't have the energy to feel guilty over Edward.

"C'mere, honey." Jacob said tenderly before scooping her up into his strong arms. Bella rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her into the front room. "I'm gonna take care of you now." He promised before easing her gently into Charlie's recliner. He grabbed a throw off the sofa and tucked in around Bella carefully, sealing off any draughts. "Now what I can get you, Bells. I can make you something to eat or drink…"

"Don't cook." Bella replied hastily. "Please, Jake, swear that you won't touch the stove."

Jacob felt a bit offended that Bella thought he was incapable of boiling an egg. The morning's mishap in the kitchen had been an accident. He shrugged off his hurt pride, he was in too good of a mood to be bothered, Bella had essentially blown Edward off for him and he wanted to enjoy it. "Let me make you a hot drink instead." He offered.

Bella relaxed back in the recliner. She didn't often have the chance to sit in Charlie's favourite chair as his ass was always permanently cemented in it when he was at home. It was surprisingly comfortable. "I would love some green tea with a touch of honey." She confessed. "But I don't think we've got either." She was full of regret.

"I can always pop over to the diner." Jacob suggested.

Bella's feverish eyes brightened. "That's a good idea. Dad will give you the money."

"I'll what." Charlie came into the room holding the house phone in his hand. He had caught the word money.

"Bells wants some green tea and honey." Jacob smiled at him hopefully.

Charlie frowned when he saw his daughter tucked up in his favourite chair. He had always been a bit territorial about his recliner. No one sat in it but him, not even his sick daughter. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable on the sofa?" He grouched.

"I'm nice and comfy here, thanks." Bella stretched her aching limbs before tucking her legs underneath her. "Can you give Jake some money, dad. We haven't got any green tea or honey but I know that the diner has some."

Charlie was appalled. "You want me to spend more." He said incredulously. "Why don't you have ordinary tea with a bit of jam in it or something?" He brightened at this idea. "You settle yourself on the sofa, kiddo. I'll make you some sweet tea and dump some strawberry jam in it. It's the same thing."

Bella was appalled. Even Jacob looked disgusted at this odd combination, which was unusual for him. "Ewww…." He pretended to shudder.

"There is nothing wrong with that." Charlie huffed. "You make do with what you have. That's what my dad always said. He was a wise man." He tapped the side of his nose.

"Do you want to kill me?" Bella wheezed. She wiped her dripping nose on the edge of the throw before spreading it across the recliner much to Charlie's horror. He had to get her out of his favourite chair before she covered it in germs.

Charlie grumbled to himself as he fumbled in his pocket for his wallet. With difficulty he opened it up and took out a few dollar bills. "Ask Cora for a discount." He warned Jacob as he passed him the money. He shoved the wallet back in his long pockets. "Are you sure you don't want me to help you over to the sofa, Bells?" He pressed.

"No." Bella snapped irritably. "I'm comfortable here."

"Fine." Charlie muttered.

"Fine." Bella echoed him before letting out an almighty sneeze.

Charlie couldn't bear to watch as Bella dabbed at her nose with the edge of the throw. He swivelled on his heel, still clutching the phone in his hand. He was going to find Carlisle Cullen's number and take out his frustration on him by lecturing him about his son's bad manners.

Jacob bit back his laughter. "I'll go and get you that tea and honey, honey." He joked.

Bella gave him such a sweet smile in response that Jacob felt a thousand butterflies take flight in his stomach. He wanted to pull her up from the recliner and hug her tightly. Instead he smiled back at her for a moment before reluctantly leaving her side.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! Has anyone else ever had green tea and honey for a cold before? I have and it always makes me feel better. But then I've always been quirky like that, LOL ;)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the kind reviews, everyone! I need some fun. How about you?**_

 **Chapter Four**

Bella caught a glimpse of her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She looked totally bedraggled: red nose, rheumy eyes. Her hair was a mess too. She sighed irritably. She supposed she should be grateful that that she was battling something as harmless as a sinus infection. It beat having crazy vampires chasing after her. Bella pushed that thought away. She didn't want to think about Victoria or the Volturi. She just wanted to focus on getting better. She picked up her box of tissues before heading down the stairs. She could hear her father talking on the phone in the kitchen. In fact he was more shouting than talking. He was taking out his frustration with Edward on Carlisle. _Edward_ …Bella felt her head hurt as she pictured his hurt expression. He had tried calling her again but she had only responded with a simple text apologising and telling him she felt too ill to talk. She knew it was a shitty excuse but she didn't know what to say. She could hardly tell him she found his whole encounter with her father hilarious. That wouldn't go down well.

Bella drifted into the front room and curled up on the recliner again. She tucked the throw around herself and reached for the TV remote. Charlie's voice was getting louder as he really let poor Carlisle have it with both barrels. Bella tuned him out as she flicked through the channels, searching for something to watch. Finally she found an old Bette Davis movie and settled down to watch it.

"And finally while my sick little girl is recuperating I do not want your son coming around here and distressing her. Do I make myself clear, Doctor Cullen?" Charlie didn't bother waiting for a response before ending the call. "That told him." He muttered darkly as he dumped the phone and marched into the front room to check on his daughter. He paused when he saw her still curled up on his recliner. He had hoped she would have moved by now. Worse still she was watching an old black and white movie on the flat screen. A Mariners game was about to start and he had been looking forward to watching it. Charlie cleared his throat. "Are you feeling better, kiddo?"

"Not really." Bella sniffed as she wiped her sore nose on one of the tissues.

"Perhaps you should go to bed then." Charlie latched onto this suggestion hopefully.

Bella rolled her eyes. "It's the middle of the afternoon." She said hoarsely. "Anyway Jake will be back soon with my tea and honey. And look I've found a good film to watch. It's 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane'." Bette Davis dressed as the Baby Jane character; her face covered in white pan stick makeup with revolting red lips, danced onto the screen and began to sing off key. "I think I'm beginning to resemble Baby Jane." Bella said miserably as she recalled her bedraggled reflection in the mirror.

"Yes, I suppose you do." Charlie agreed absently. He wasn't even listening. He was plotting ways to eject Bella out of his chair and into her room upstairs so he could watch the Mariner's game in comfort.

"Well thanks very much, dad." Bella fumed. "I already feel like crap and I didn't need you agreeing that I look like crap as well."

"I never said you look like crap." Charlie spluttered as he saw Bella's cheeks turn rosy. Her feverish eyes were sparking with indignation and hurt.

"You just said I look like Baby Jane." Bella snapped.

"Who's Baby Jane?" Charlie was totally confused. Bella's skin was turning redder than a boiled cabbage. "You need to calm down, kiddo. You look like a tomato."

"A tomato?" Bella was outraged. "A freaking tomato? I know why you're saying this."

"I haven't said anything." Charlie defended himself. He was wallowing in a mire of confusion. He didn't understand this conversation at all. Bella's cold was making her delusional. "I'm not doing anything."

"I know what you're up to." Bella wagged her finger at him. "You want me out of this chair."

"I do not." Charlie huffed indignantly when he really did. _He really, really did._

"Yes you do." Bella's eyes narrowed. "You've done it now. I am not leaving." She threatened. "You're just gonna have to find somewhere else to park your ass." Bella smiled triumphantly at him as she made a show of tucking in the throw around her before turning up the volume on the flat screen just as Baby Jane began to belt out the main chorus.

* * *

Jacob walked back into a house full of tension. Some weird old woman, wearing ghoulish makeup, and screeching at the top of her lungs something about _a letter to daddy,_ was playing on the flat screen. Jacob winced as the noise hurt his sensitive ears. He was feeling pleased with himself. Not only had he brought Bella her green tea and honey, but he had charmed Cora into giving him a fifty percent discount on the price, which should appease Charlie and put him in the chief's good books. It was win win as far as he was concerned.

"Hey, I'm back." Jacob announced loudly as he tried to make himself heard above the screeching banshee on the television. "I've got your green tea and honey, Bells." He smiled smugly as he looked over at Charlie who was glowering on the sofa. "And guess what? Cora let me have it all for half price. Isn't that great?"

His good news was met with a wall of silence. Bella had her arms crossed and was scowling at her father. Charlie was glaring right back at her. Jacob looked between them in confusion. "Did you hear what I just said?" He asked the police chief. "I got a fifty percent discount."

"You should have got it for free." Charlie retorted, still not taking his eyes off his daughter's scowling face.

"For free?" Jacob's voice went up an octave in surprise. "I don't think Cora wants to give away her stock for nothing." He winced as the out of tune harridan on the TV got louder. He cussed under his breath and grabbed the remote and turned the volume right down. "Jeez, that's better." He said in relief.

"I was watching that." Bella turned her scowl on Jacob instead.

"Really?" Jacob tried to lighten the atmosphere. "Because I kinda thought you were watching Charlie instead." His joke fell completely flat as two laser like stares bored into him. Jacob scratched his head as he tried to work out what to do. Something had kicked off in the short time he had been at the diner. He wanted to ask but was afraid to. "Is everything alright?" He said eventually as the tense silence began to eat away at him.

"NO." Charlie and Bella snapped in unison. They glared at each other in annoyance.

"What happened?" Jacob dared to ask. "I mean everything was alright when I left to get the tea and honey."

"My darling father told me that I look like Baby freaking Jane." Bella accused.

"I did not." Charlie bellowed.

"Who's Baby Jane?" Jacob felt completely bewildered.

"That old witch." Bella wailed as she pointed to Bette Davis on the flat screen. Baby Jane had given up singing and was now carrying a heavy silver tray up a steep staircase, muttering to herself. "He said I look as bad as she does. He thinks I'm mad, Jake."

Jacob watched the tears pool in Bella's eyes. His heart constricted in his chest. He couldn't bear it when she cried. He dropped the tea and honey onto the floor and hastened to her side. "Don't cry, Bells." He pleaded. "You look nothing like that Baby Jane thingy. You really don't." Jacob scooped her up into his arms and plopped her onto his lap as he took her place on the recliner. Charlie's favourite chair creaked and groaned under his extra weight. "I happen to think you're the most beautiful girl in the world, honey." He declared stoutly.

"You do." Bella gazed up at him from under thick lashes. Jacob smiled at her tenderly as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Even though my nose is sore and I sound like a hundred a day smoker?" Bella rasped.

"I do." Jacob tickled her under the chin and he was rewarded with a flirty little giggle and a smile. He shifted slightly as he adjusted his weight in the chair. It groaned alarmingly. Over Bella's shoulder he saw Charlie's face turn deathly white as he motioned for Jacob to get out of his favourite chair. Jacob ignored him. He was still smarting over Charlie's comment that she should have got the tea and honey for free. _"Torture the chief for a little longer."_ He could almost hear Billy's encouraging voice in his head. Jacob smirked. Yes, that's what his father would do. He sat back, pulling Bella with him, throwing Charlie a grin as he did so. It soon slipped off his face though. The recliner creaked in protest, there was a loud snapping sound as it broke cleanly in half, sending Jacob and Bella tumbling to the floor.

On the flat screen a loud scream accompanied the accident as Baby Jane presented her screen sister with a cooked rat beautifully presented on a silver tray.

* * *

"I can't believe Charlie sent us to our rooms." Jacob shook his head in disbelief. The police chief had thrown a complete strop, banishing them upstairs.

"Well technically he sent me to my room." Bella replied before blowing her nose loudly. "Yours is downstairs. But I'm happy to share." She said as she threw the tissue away in the small trash can beside her bed.

"Cool." Jacob grinned as he passed her a steaming mug of green tea and honey. "Here you go, Bells."

"Thank you." Bella breathed in the pleasant aroma. She could feel her nasal passages clearing. She blew on the hot liquid before taking a tentative sip. "Ah…this is heaven." She sighed in bliss as she leaned back against her heaped up pillows.

Jacob had carried up a chair from the kitchen to sit on. Bella glanced at him, suppressing a smile. He was so big now he made it look like children's furniture. She took another sip of the green tea and honey. She could feel it working it's magic. Her head felt much clearer. "I'm sorry I look such a mess." She apologised. "And I'm sorry you're stuck here with me. You should be out enjoying yourself. Isn't it Sam and Emily's anniversary party tonight?"

Jacob laughed. "Yeah, but if I went to the party I would have no one to kiss at midnight." He quipped.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Well no one would want to kiss someone like me who's blowing, coughing and hacking away." She scrunched up her nose as she tried to contain a sneeze.

Jacob thought she looked too cute. He smiled at her tenderly. "I would." He said meaningfully.

Bella blushed at the intense look in his dark eyes. She had seen it before when he poked at the boundaries of their friendship. "At least you can't get sick." She said to distract him.

"I suppose I am lucky." Jacob let her off the hook like he always did. "You better finish that tea before it goes cold." He suggested.

"Right." Bella caught his gaze and held it for a long moment. The apology was right there in her eyes. Jacob shrugged nonchalantly as if it didn't matter. But it did matter, it mattered more than anything.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Five**

The next morning a large van pulled up outside the Swan house. It woke Bella up out of a deep sleep. She groaned, rolling onto her side as she tried to breathe through her blocked nose. Unfortunately she rolled too far and fell right out of the bed and on top of Jacob, who had been camped out on her bedroom floor. He grunted in surprise when she landed on him so unexpectedly.

"Bells?" He peered up into her wide eyes. His hands strayed to her hips as he tried to steady her. This was a very compromising position they were in. Bella breathed raggedly as her legs slid either side of him. Her core was pressed against his morning glory and she felt her cheeks turn rosy at the unintended contact. She attempted to ignore the tingling inside and tried to move, brushing against him again in her efforts. Jacob tried to stay still as Bella squirmed on top of him. It wasn't easy. In her clumsy attempts to escape she was making it extremely hard, in more ways than one. "Just stop moving." Jacob said gruffly.

"But…" Bella's protest was faint as she blushed profusely. She stared down at him, swallowing nervously.

"It's alright, Bells." Jacob didn't recognise his own voice. Reluctantly he flexed his arm muscles and gently lifted her off him, depositing her carefully beside him on the floor.

Bella cleared her throat and her hands fluttered in front of her as she watched Jacob rise gracefully to his feet. "I'm sorry about that." She apologised.

"Well you know how to wake a guy up." Jacob joked lamely as he ran his fingers through his messy bed hair. He saw Bella flush again and decided to go easy on her. "How are you feeling this morning?" He asked instead.

"Um…a bit better. My head isn't aching so much, but I still feel stuffy." Bella touched the end of her sore nose.

"That's progress I suppose." Jacob held out his hand toward her. Bella hesitated for a second, smiling sheepishly as she accepted his gentlemanly gesture in aiding her to rise. Jacob held onto her hand for a fraction longer than was needed once she was on her feet. He saw Bella swallow again as he slowly slipped his fingers out of hers and let go.

Bella smiled awkwardly again. "I heard something pull up outside. That's what woke me up."

"Oh…." Jacob ran his fingers through his hair again as he led the way out of her room to the top of the stairs. He glanced down them. The front door was wide open and swinging on its hinges. He could hear Charlie talking to someone. The driver he assumed. Jacob turned back to glance at Bella, shrugging. The chief must have been really mad last night not to come and check on them. Or maybe he had and had seen that Jacob had slept on the floor. "Shall we go and investigate?" He asked Bella.

"Yeah." Bella hid behind Jacob's tall frame as they descended the stairs. The closer they got to the bottom, the clearer Charlie's voice got. So even Bella could hear what her father was saying.

"This really is rapid delivery." Charlie sounded impressed.

"That's what you paid for, sir." A bored voice replied. "Sign here, please."

There was the sound of rustling paper. Jacob and Bella hovered at the bottom of the staircase, sharing a confused glance. Charlie must have ordered something. He was obviously talking to the delivery driver. There was the sound of more paper rustling. The chief of police was taking an awfully long time to check the paperwork and sign it.

"I am on the clock, sir." The delivery driver came across as more impatient now then bored. "Just sign on the dotted line, please."

"I am not signing this." Charlie huffed in response. "This pricing is extortionate. It's daylight robbery."

"You ordered overnight express delivery, sir." The driver retorted irritably. "You agreed to the terms and conditions when you ordered it. Sign, please."

"I WILL NOT!" Charlie protested hotly.

"If you refuse, sir, I will simply call the police." The delivery driver threatened mildly. "It would be simpler if you just signed the docket. None of us want any trouble here now do we?"

"I am the police." Charlie sounded smug.

This news seemed to dumbfound the driver. Jacob, with Bella following close behind, crept closer to the front door so they could see what was happening as well as hear.

"I'll contact your superior." The driver said eventually. Jacob and Bella could see that he was a small man with a large belly. His brow was coated in perspiration as he confronted the belligerent police chief.

"I am the superior." Charlie stated triumphantly. He had his back to Jacob and Bella so they couldn't see his face but they could hear the smugness in his tone. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Charles Eugene Swan, Chief of Forks police."

"Eugene." Jacob snickered quietly. Bella dug him in the ribs with her elbow to quieten him. She was trying to hold back a sneeze.

"Well that doesn't make you above the law." The driver spluttered. "I have delivered what you ordered…and in record time I might add. So sign the docket and pay what you owe…or…or I will be forced to lodge a formal complaint."

Bella sneezed. She couldn't help it. It was so loud and ferocious that it disturbed the two men outside. Charlie's head whipped around and he pursed his lips. Sighing, Jacob sidled into view followed by a shamefaced Bella. When the delivery driver clocked Jacob his brow broke out with more sweat. He tugged nervously at his collar as he stared at the six foot seven muscle bound guy standing not ten feet from him. The police chief had a bodyguard.

"Is he a cop, too?" The driver asked nervously.

Charlie was about to refute this when he noted the driver's odd reaction to Jacob's presence. He smirked, cracking his knuckles as he flexed his hands as if gearing up for a fight. "He's one of the best. Always gets his man, too."

"I do?" Jacob scratched his chin in confusion while Bella rolled her eyes. She sneezed again before she could open her mouth to call Charlie out on his lies.

"Maybe we can negotiate on the price." The delivery driver tugged on his collar again nervously.

"Good man." Charlie pulled out a ten dollar bill and shoved it in the driver's top pocket. "That should cover the cost of delivery."

"But…but…." The driver's face had gone an odd shade of purple.

"Jake?" Charlie raised his eyebrows as he looked at the spluttering driver meaningfully.

"Yes…that's sufficient." The poor guy sounded like he was being strangled.

Bella was getting really annoyed with her dad's antics. This was all about saving money. He was such a tight ass and willing to use his position in authority and Jacob's intimidating presence to get his own way. The overweight delivery guy was most likely a crook, but he wasn't breaking the law in this instance. Whatever her father had ordered he should be paying the full price agreed for delivery. Bella was determined to call Charlie out on his behaviour. He wasn't setting much of an example to her or Jacob. But she was stopped in her tracks when she saw Jacob unloading the item Charlie had ordered out of the back of the van. The thing was so big that even Jacob was struggling to pull it out.

"It's my new recliner." Charlie announced proudly as he watched Jacob stagger under the huge weight of the monstrosity he was carrying. The police chief made no move to help him. "It's made of faux leather but has the capacity to withstand heavy weights, plus it has an inbuilt massaging system to destress its owner on command and has adjustable speakers in the armrests which acts like a four way sound system. I will be able to watch the next Mariners game in total comfort and with the enhanced sound it will feel like I'm actually in the stadium."

"Fuck!" The expletive slipped out before Bella could stop it. She saw Charlie frown disapprovingly. Jacob was dragging the huge monstrosity up the porch steps. The new recliner was so wide that it chipped the fence as he did so. Charlie tutted under his breath before yelling at Jacob to be careful.

"Charlie, we have a problem." Jacob said breathlessly.

"What?" Charlie barked at him.

"The thing's too big. It's wedged in the doorway. I can't get the damn thing inside." Jacob said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Don't be ridiculous." Charlie snapped irritably. He rolled up his sleeves as he marched over to Jacob. "I'll push from the front and you pull from the back. We'll soon get this inside."

Bella refrained from rolling her eyes. "This is not going to end well." She mumbled under her breath before sneezing again.

* * *

Charlie lay in his new recliner groaning in pain. He had strained his back getting the humongous thing inside. The front door had to be taken off its hinges to make room; even then it had been difficult. It had taken a lot of twisting the chair this way and that before it finally popped through the doorway like a cork. Even getting the thing into the front room had been a pain. Half the furniture had to be removed because it was so big. Bella had tried to persuade her father to send the monstrosity back where it came from, but like her he could be stubborn. He had refused to give in even after wrenching his back in the process.

"We could try the massage function." Jacob had the remote in his hand. He pressed a few buttons and suddenly the recliner began to jiggle about alarmingly. Charlie was thrown about all over the place. His eyes flared open and he cried out in surprise as a sharp pain shot up his spine.

"Turn it off, Jake. Turn it off." Bella squealed. Jacob was staring at the remote in confusion, trying to work out which button to press. Bella snatched it from him. "Give it to me." She glared at him before pressing one button after another.

Her efforts only made matters worse. The chair rocked alarmingly. Charlie's complexion turned grey. He looked sea sick. Bella hastily pressed a few more buttons. She unintentionally activated the sound system. Beethoven suddenly blared out at ear splitting decibels. Jacob clapped his hands over his ears.

"TURN IT OFF!" He cried in alarm.

"I can't." Bella was getting desperate. Charlie was being tossed all over the place. He had no breath left to speak. His eyes were bugging out of his head. "Dad, I'm so sorry." Bella bellowed hoarsely above the classical music. She pressed a few more buttons. The bottom half of the recliner began to fold in on itself. "No…no…." Bella jabbed at the remote with her forefinger. "I don't know how to switch this thing off." She looked up at Jacob in despair.

Wincing, Jacob grabbed the remote out of Bella's trembling hands and pulled out the batteries. Immediately there was blessed silence. He sighed in relief. The chair had stopped moving. Charlie was hanging on by his fingernails. He looked like a landlubber who had been tossed around at sea.

"You know I think I'm getting your cold, kiddo." He rasped. "I think I might just head on to bed." Bella watched guiltily as Charlie crawled off the chair stiffly. His hand held onto his lower back as he staggered toward the staircase.

"Send that chair back would ya, Jake." He asked as he passed Jacob. "It's giving me nightmares." Jacob tried to keep his expression straight as he promised Charlie solemnly that he would as he asked. "And not a word about this to Billy when we see him later. Understood?" Charlie muttered darkly as he shuffled along like an old man up the stairs.

"Understood." Jacob promised. His lips twitched as he tried to hold in his laughter. There was no way he was going to be able to keep this to himself.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Six**

The next morning Bella knew she couldn't beg off going to school. She was feeling a lot brighter. Her nose was still stuffy but the fuzziness in her head had eased off. As she got ready to go she had to admit to herself that she wasn't looking forward to it. She was going to have to face Edward and apologise for ignoring him for the past few days. The only communication they'd had was a few measly texts. Jacob had occupied most of her time, plus Charlie and his backfiring attempts to save money. Also she had been genuinely ill. Bella kept reminding herself of that fact as she made excuses for ignoring her boyfriend to make herself feel better.

She wasn't the only one in a low mood when she sat down to eat breakfast. Charlie was full of woe as he counted the cost of that infernal recliner he had purchased in haste after his other one was wrecked by Jacob and Bella. The delivery driver had refused to come back and collect it. So the monstrous contraption sat outside his house providing a constant reminder of his stupidity and all the money he had lost. He was feeling very mournful. Jacob wasn't exactly cheerful either. He was gloomy because Bella was returning to school, which meant that she would be back in Edward Cullen's orbit again. He worried that once she was back in the bloodsucker's company that he would lose her attention again. He had been enjoying being her sole focus.

"Do you need a ride to school, kiddo?" Charlie asked once he had cleared his plate. "I'm dropping Jake off anyway."

Bella glanced sideways at Jacob. They had to keep up the pretence for Charlie that Jacob was still attending school. In reality he was going to spend the morning with Billy before heading out on patrol later that day. "I can drive myself. I don't want to make you take a detour unnecessarily."

"Well it would save me gas." Charlie conceded. "I've got to watch the pennies now."

Bella refrained from rolling her eyes at this statement. "Well that's a bonus isn't it." She drawled sarcastically.

Charlie was totally oblivious to her sarcasm. "That's what I thought." He agreed absently. He stood up and dumped his empty bowl in the sink. "Be ready in ten, Jake. I need to get into work early."

"Yeah." Jacob said sullenly as he pushed his plate away. In his misery he had eaten four bowls of cornflakes and eight slices of toast.

"Are you alright, Jake?" Bella asked cautiously when she noticed the unhappy expression on his face. "Are you worried about Billy still? I'm sure he's fine. He looked so much brighter the last time we saw him."

Jacob swallowed thickly before meeting her concerned gaze. It always touched him when she expressed concern for his welfare. It made him feel important in her life. "I'm more worried about you. Are you sure you should go back to school today?"

"I'm not looking forward to it I must admit. But I'm falling behind in my studies. I can't afford to miss anymore classes." Bella reached out her hand toward him. "Not that the last few days with you here hasn't been fun." A teasing glint lit up her brown eyes. "Especially when we were torturing dad."

"You're wicked, Bells." Jacob smiled despite himself.

"Anyway the day will be over quicker then we think." Bella returned his smile. "Tonight I'm gonna order some pizza. It's on me. If I touch the housekeeping I think dad would have a coronary."

Jacob laughed. She was too cute with that twinkle in her eyes. He didn't want her to lose that. When she was around the leech he killed her spirit. Jacob didn't want that to happen. He held her hand tightly. "Just be careful today, Bells." He warned her.

"Jake, it's only school. I'll be fine." Bella assured him as she reluctantly withdrew her hand out of his.

* * *

"Stop, Jake, I can't take anymore." Billy gasped as he shook with laughter. Jacob had mimicked Charlie being attacked by the monstrous recliner. "Oh my, that is so like the chief. It's never been easy to prise open his wallet. He would have charged his guests to attend his own wedding reception if he could have gotten away with it."

"I'm surprised he didn't make you bring your own food and drink." Jacob quipped. He was ecstatic to see his father looking so much brighter. Billy had colour in his cheeks and didn't look so tired like he had on previous visits.

Billy smirked. "You're only half right. He laid on the food and paid for the first round of drinks but then we had to buy our own." He chuckled again while wiping his eyes.

"Unbelievable." Jacob shook his head in disbelief, smiling.

"So it looks like you've been having fun staying at the Swans." Billy said meaningfully.

Jacob knew what his dad was trying to do. Billy wanted to know if Cullen had been sniffing around while he was staying there. "It's just been me, Bella and Charlie."

"Has it now?" Billy was pleased.

"Yeah, it has." Jacob shrugged, trying to act nonchalant under his father's intense scrutiny. "But Bells had to go back to school today, so..." He shrugged again without finishing his sentence.

"So you're worried about her being around the Cullens again."

"You know how controlling the leech is." Jacob muttered. "Once he gets his hooks into her again he'll stifle her and I'll..." He shook his head, looking away from Billy. "I'll lose her again."

Billy hated seeing Jacob so defeated. His son was a fighter but he sounded so dispirited. "You won't lose Bella, Jake. I'm sure of it."

"Why are you so certain?" Jacob asked grudgingly. His dad had that look in his eye again. He was up to something.

"Because you're Jacob Black. How could anyone resist you?" Billy cooed playfully as he reached out and pinched Jacob's cheeks like Sarah used to do when Jacob was a toddler. His eyes became moist as he reminisced about his wife. "If you want the girl than you have to be more proactive, son. I never stopped until your mother said yes."

"How many times did she say no again?" Jacob had heard these stories before, about how Billy had wooed Sarah. She had been disinterested at first, assuming quite rightly that Billy was full of himself. "Mom used to say your ego was the biggest thing about you."

Billy pretended to be insulted. "Sarah loved my confidence. She was just playing hard to get. So to win her over I showered her with love and affection."

"In other words you nagged her into going out with until you wore her down and she said yes to shut you up." Jacob tried to hide his amused grin as Billy bristled at this statement.

"I used my charm and gentle persuasion." Billy retorted defensively. "The point is I never gave up. If you want Bella than use the old Black magic and put stars in her eyes."

"I think I feel sick." Jacob muttered.

Billy ignored his son's self pity and held out his hand. "Give me your cell." He demanded.

"Why?" Jacob asked suspiciously.

"I feel like taking a selfie with my son that's all." Billy said mildly. "Come on, hand it over."

His dad was definitely losing it. Jacob decided to humour him and handed over his cell. Billy held up the phone in front of him and urged his son to lean in. Then with both of them smiling widely, Billy took the picture before sending a copy straight to Bella's cell.

* * *

Bella felt her cell buzzing in her pocket. She noticed Edward looking at her sternly. Bella sighed as she tried to concentrate on the history teacher's droning voice. Edward had been suffocating her all morning. He was treating her like she was made of fragile porcelain and would shatter if she made any minimal effort to exert herself or offer an opinion. Bella had tried to stem the tide of her irritation as she still felt guilty about ignoring him the last few days. But his overprotective nature was really beginning to irk her. Angela and Ben had tried to speak to her when she arrived at school, but Edward had immediately isolated Bella from her friends, ending any chance of further interaction. As he had transferred to all of her classes too, there wasn't a single moment when she was away from him.

Bella glumly tried to concentrate but found it hard when her cell kept buzzing. Someone was desperate to contact her. Deciding to ignore Edward's irritated scowl she pulled her phone out of her pocket to check it. Almost immediately Jacob's selfie with Billy popped up on her screen. The first genuine smile of the morning crossed Bella's lips as she gazed at their grinning faces. Billy definitely looked on the mend. And Jacob was so cute with his sunny smile. Wistfulness washed over her as she wished that was with them right now instead of her boring history class.

"Typical." Edward huffed quietly. "You would think he would spend his time doing something more practical like attending to his own education instead of bombarding you with pointless selfies. You can't let him distract you from your studies, Bella."

Bella stared at Edward incredulously. Had he really just said that? He sounded so petty. "Jake had to quit school and put his education on hold so he can be out there protecting me along with his pack. Or have you forgotten that there is a bloodsucking red head seeking revenge."

"Bella." Edward whispered reprovingly. "I have not forgotten the sacrifice the shifters are making on our behalf. I am merely pointing out that..." He stopped talking when he realised she was no longer listening. Bella was too busy texting Jacob instead.

* * *

Charlie was pleased to find that the monstrous recliner was gone from his front yard when he got home from work. The delivery guy must have seen the error of his ways and collected the thing, which meant he was due a refund. Charlie whistled happily as he sauntered up the drive and let himself into the house. His happiness lasted all the way to the kitchen. He pulled out a beer from the fridge and popped the lid off the bottle. He was in the mood to celebrate. That was until he saw the official looking document that Bella had left in the centre of the kitchen table for him after getting in from school. The beer tasted bitter on his tongue as he picked it up. He was being fined for dumping waste in a public area and causing an obstruction. Charlie couldn't believe it. The beer bottle dropped from his numb fingers and crashed onto the floor as his mind boggled at the cost. This was unbelievable. He was outraged. He wasn't going to stand for this. Soon, he had the phone in his hand and was venting his fury on the hapless operator on the other end of the line.

* * *

Jacob took Charlie's share of the pizza and began to eat it. "Are you sure we shouldn't save this for your dad?" He asked with his mouth full.

"Nope." Bella popped the P as she delicately took a bite of her own slice. She could still hear Charlie protesting in the other room. His fine had been increased when he had refused to pay it right away, so now he was trying to charm the operator instead of insulting them. "This will teach him a lesson about being such a tight ass."

"When will you let him in on the joke?" Jacob licked his fingers when his pizza slice was all gone.

"When it dawns on him that he's ranting at Sue Clearwater and not some official." Bella smiled wickedly. "That was a great plan of yours by the way. Genius in fact. I salute you."

They had been texting back and forth all day while they discussed the plan to fool Charlie into thinking he had been fined for leaving the huge recliner in a public space. Jacob had pretended it was all his idea when in fact it was Billy's. His father loved nothing better than playing pranks on Charlie, especially when it taught his friend a lesson in humility. He had persuaded Sue to help. She had been reluctant at first but soon capitulated when Billy pointed out that Harry would have loved winding Charlie up. So she had agreed to play her part. Bella had written a false number on the bill. It was Sue's spare cell phone Charlie had called thinking he was speaking to someone official. Right now the monstrous recliner was sitting in Sam Uley's backyard. He had picked it up that afternoon with Jacob helping him to haul it into the back of Sam's truck.

"How was your first day back?" Jacob asked warily. So far Bella hadn't said anything about it.

"So, so." Bella shrugged as if it wasn't important. She didn't tell him that she had inadvertently spent the best part of the day trying to ignore Edward's irritation that she was texting Jacob instead of paying attention to him. Bella didn't want to admit it aloud but she was glad to be back home with Jacob and Charlie and away from Edward's scrutinising gaze.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Seven**

The next day Bella felt exhausted when she got home from school. It wasn't that she was feeling ill again, it was because Edward had worn her down. She used to think that his over protectiveness was endearing but now she was beginning to feel suffocated. Bella knew it was hard for him. After all that misunderstanding in Italy when he thought she was dead, coupled with the fact that Victoria was hunting her seeking revenge, she could empathise a little. But he was beginning to go over the top. He had a meltdown when she accidentally tripped over Mike Newton's bag. She had only grazed her knee. It wasn't Mike's fault, it was her usual clumsiness working against her. But Edward had acted as if Mike had put his bag there on purpose to make her fall and hurt herself. It had taken a lot of persuasion on her part to get Edward to leave poor Mike alone.

That was just one of many tiny incidents that had happened during the course of the day. Edward was constantly on alert, always tensed and ready to deal with any imagined crisis. Bella hadn't been able to escape him all day or get him to chill out. When she opened the door and walked inside she headed straight for the kitchen. She was feeling hungry again after losing her appetite at lunchtime because Edward was monitoring every mouthful she ate in case she choked on her food.

"Hey, Bells, are you alright?" Jacob asked in concern when he saw Bella's wan complexion. He was already at the table having helped himself to some of the fruit from the bowl. He got up and hastily pulled out a chair for Bella to sit in. She sank into it gratefully. "You're not feeling ill again are you?"

"No, it's just been a long day." Bella smiled, finally able to relax now that she was at home and away from Edward's scrutinising gaze.

"Are you hungry?" Jacob peered into her sweet face anxiously. "Can I make you something?"

"NO!" Bella said a little too loudly. They had already been on the receiving end of Jacob's attempt to cook once already. "I'll put something on in a minute."

"I can make a sandwich, Bells." Jacob replied testily. "Don't worry I won't go near the stove."

"Sorry." Bella apologised with a guilty smile. "A sandwich would be nice."

"I'll see what I can do." Jacob grinned at her, immediately lightening the atmosphere. "Let me take care of you for a change. You're always taking care of everyone else."

Bella got quite tearful. It was such a lovely thing to say. After the trying day she had spent at school with Edward it was just the tonic she needed. "Thank you." She whispered gratefully.

* * *

A little while later she was curled up on the sofa next to Jacob. He was so lovely and warm. She had spent a few hours in comfortable silence with him, doing her homework. Jacob had kept her company, supplying her with drinks and snacks to keep her energy reserves up. They were watching a cooking show now. Bella knew Jacob had no interest in it. He only enjoyed the after bit when the food had already been prepared and was being shown off to the audience. He was practically salivating at one point. Bella laughed quietly under her breath. Jacob did love his food. It was a wolf thing.

"Feeling hungry?" She teased, quirking one eyebrow.

"You have no idea." Jacob smacked his lips together playfully.

Bella laughed again. He was just too cute. "I suppose I should get started on dinner. Any ideas what I can do with fish. Dad has enough stored in the freezer to last us for another year."

"I'll leave it to the expert." Jacob patted her knee.

Bella blushed as she felt the warmth from his touch through the thin denim of her jeans. Jacob was smiling at her as he let his hand linger on her knee for longer than necessary before taking it away. "Yeah...I'll figure something out." Bella cleared her throat awkwardly, wondering why she was having such a strange reaction to something Jacob did all the time. It was just a friendly gesture. "Well I better go and make it then."

"I suppose so." Jacob watched as Bella bit down on her bottom lip. She was still blushing. He felt a small thrill of excitement kick off in his stomach. He was affecting her, he could see it. Things were looking up.

* * *

"Jake, I need your help with something." Charlie announced after dinner.

"Okay." Jacob exchanged a curious glance with Bella before returning his attention to Charlie. "What do you need me to do?"

"You'll see." Charlie looked at Bella. "I need to borrow your truck, kiddo."

"Why?" Bella hesitated before passing him the keys.

"You'll see." Charlie replied cryptically. "Come on, son." He motioned for Jacob to follow him. "We won't be long, Bells."

Jacob exchanged another look with Bella as he followed Charlie out of the house. The chief was being very mysterious indeed.

* * *

Charlie didn't drive very far. He parked the old Chevy outside an old house with white cladding and blue painted door. It was set off the main road. Outside there was a pile of old furniture. It looked like the owners were having a good spring clean. Jacob climbed out of the truck and shut the passenger door. It clanged shut loudly, startling Charlie, who scowled irritably at Jacob.

"Sorry." Jacob apologised. "So, why are we here again?" He dared to ask as Charlie began to stride down the gravelled driveway.

"To pick something up." Charlie led Jacob over to the abandoned furniture. "I can't lift it because my back's still bad. And you owe me after breaking my favourite chair."

Jacob sighed. Charlie was never going to let that one go. "I said I could try and fix it." He reminded him. "You just need to give me a few days."

"It's beyond repair." Charlie huffed. "And since I lost all that money and got fined for the replacement I'm low on funds. Luckily for you I've managed to source a replacement for free." As soon as he said the word free Charlie brightened up and he rubbed his hands together.

Jacob refrained from rolling his eyes. Charlie still hadn't worked out that they had played a prank on him. He thought it was time to tell the older man but Bella wanted to see her father stew for a few days. She was determined that Charlie should learn his lesson. "So where's this replacement?" He asked as he surveyed the pile of junk. There wasn't anything salvageable amongst this lot. The chair must be inside the house.

"There." Charlie pointed to a tatty leather chair which was hiding behind the main pile.

Jacob laughed, convinced that Charlie was joshing. "Seriously, where is the replacement?" He joked.

"Are you blind?" Charlie frowned. "I said there."

"You've got to be kidding me." Jacob blurted out. "That thing is older than you are. Look at the state of it. The leather's all torn and it's got nicotine stains all over it. I bet it's infested with roaches." He approached it with extreme caution and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Eww..that smells rank." He recoiled away from it.

"A bit of spit and polish and it will come up lovely." Charlie refuted hotly. "It's free and that's all that matters."

"They should be paying you to take it away." Jacob was appalled that Charlie was even considering having the thing in his house, let alone sit in it. HIs skin crawled at the thought.

"You're just typical of today's generation. In my day we had to make do and mend." Charlie put his hands on his hips and nodded his head in satisfaction. "When we get back I'll put the hose on it. That should clean it up just fine." He motioned for Jacob to pick it up. "Off you go then."

"I am not touching that." Jacob began to back away. "I'll get cooties."

"Jacob Black , you pick that up and put it in the truck right now or I'll ground you." Charlie blustered.

Was the chief serious? Jacob stared at Charlie incredulously as the older man crossed his arms defensively across his chest. Yes, it seemed that he was. Jacob grimaced as he looked at the ugly old chair. Bella was going to pitch a fit when they brought it home. Charlie was still glaring at him. Jacob was glad that he was an indestructible werewolf. He didn't even want to imagine the kind of creatures who had made their home in the chair. Jacob gingerly hoisted the horrible smelling thing up into his arms. He held his breath and practically ran toward the truck so he could dump the thing in the back before he passed out from the stench.

* * *

No amount of protests and tantrums from Bella prevented Charlie from bringing the ugly old chair into the house. He spent an hour beforehand hosing it down and polishing the tatty leather. It only smelled marginally better than before. He made Jacob go against Bella's wishes and put the monstrosity in pride of place in front of the flat screen. Charlie then ceremoniously threw a shaggy throw over the thing to hide how ugly it was before declaring himself satisfied.

"See." He declared as he sat down and swivelled around in it, beer in hand. The chair's springs squeaked alarmingly. "Just perfect." He smiled triumphantly when Bella tapped her foot and glared at him. "Lighten up, kiddo. It cost me nothing. Now I can sit in comfort and watch the Mariners game."

"That chair is gonna bite you on the ass, dad. Trust me." Bella snapped. "It smells like someone died in it." She stormed off upstairs in a huff when he smirked.

"Women can be so temperamental." Charlie joked. "Wanna watch the game with me, Jake?" He offered.

"Not this time, Charlie. I'm with Bells. That chair is haunted." Jacob pretended to shudder. "I think I might turn in early. Night."

"Lightweight." Charlie called after him. He was congratulating himself so much he forgot to ask where Jacob thought he was going to sleep. Jacob had gone into Bella's room and was crashing on her floor. The Mariners game started and caught Charlie's attention. He grinned as he settled back and raised the beer to his lips.

* * *

Jacob and Bella were woken up in the early hours of the morning by a loud yelp. Bella's heart was palpitating painfully in her chest as she realised it was Charlie. Jacob warned her to stay right where she was while he went to investigate. "It's gonna be alright, honey. I got this."

"What if it's Victoria?" Bella whispered fearfully.

"It's not her. I would have smelled her. Just stay here." Jacob quickly vanished down the stairs. When he reached the front room he found Charlie hopping up and down, his head turned at an awkward angle as he tried to see behind him. His hand was brushing the seat of his jeans. "What is it?" Jacob asked anxiously.

"I fell asleep and woke up to find the room was as cold as ice." Charlie shuddered. "Then something bit me."

Jacob snapped on the main light and approached Charlie with caution. Bella had warned him that the ugly chair would bite him on the ass. And it had, literally. "I told you the chair was haunted."

"Ugh...get them off me." Charlie squirmed as Jacob bent down to have a closer look. It took him a moment to see as the older man kept wriggling around, but finally he noticed some black bugs crawling all over the seat of Charlie's pants. "Get them off me, Jake. Get them off."

There were too many to brush off. Jacob had no choice but to lead Charlie outside and hose him down with water to get rid of the creatures. When Bella finally dared to come down the stairs after realising that the house wasn't under attack from vengeful vampires, she found Charlie standing in the hallway dripping wet and looking mournful with Jacob nearby trying to stifle a laugh.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story.**_

 **Chapter Eight**

The whole house had to be fumigated. Charlie and Bella had woken up late the next morning covered in bug bites. Jacob had been affected as well, but his quick healing ability meant that they were gone in the blink of an eye. Bella was deeply envious of him. She had made the mistake of scratching hers and ended up making them worse. She was forced to go to the doctor and get some medication. Charlie wasn't much better. Not only was he covered in numerous bites but he now faced a hefty bill to get rid of them.

"I don't want to hear it, dad." Bella snapped at Charlie when they were finally allowed back into the house. "This is your own fault."

"If you and Jake hadn't been fooling around then I would still have my original chair and none of this would have happened." Charlie retorted. He was feeling very sorry for himself.

"If you had been patient Jake said he would fix it. But you just couldn't wait." Bella was itching all over. It was taking all her self restraint not to tear into her skin with her nails.

"It's beyond repair." Charlie reminded her irritably. "I told you."

"Jake would have been able to work his magic. He's good at fixing things." Bella looked gingerly around the house checking for bugs. Even though the exterminator had assured them that the house was clean she wasn't taking any chances. She headed into the kitchen and began to search for the disinfectant.

"Well it's still not my fault." Charlie grouched. "What are you doing?"

"I'm giving this house a deep clean and you're gonna help me." Bella thrust a bucket and a clean cloth at him. "You can start washing down the walls."

"What?" Charlie spluttered. "I've got a bad back remember."

"Helping me clean the place will loosen it." Bella didn't have any sympathy for her father at all. He had brought all this on himself. "The sooner you get started the sooner you'll be finished." She barked at him like a little drill sergeant.

Charlie sloped off feeling very pitiful. All this because he wanted to enjoy a few creature comforts. Hadn't he earned the right after working hard all his life.

* * *

"You agree with me, Billy." Charlie asked his friend as he dropped by the hospital a little while later. He was glad to get away from the house. Bella was in manic cleaning mode. She had tried to force him to climb up a ladder to clean the top windows, but he had cried off, reminding her that he needed to visit Billy. "Our kids can be so ungrateful sometimes."

"Yes, chief." Billy tried to hide his grin. Charlie was really feeling hard done by. He wondered what would happen when the police chief found out that the expensive recliner he had bought was safely in Sam Uley's back yard. Billy knew he should tell Charlie about the prank but didn't think that his friend would find it very funny in the mood he was in.

"Bells keeps telling me I'm a skinflint." Charlie continued to complain. "But I'm very generous. I'm always dipping in my pocket."

"Of course." Billy lied. "I've never met such a charitable person as yourself."

Charlie frowned as he studied Billy suspiciously. Was he being facetious? "I am charitable. I was thinking of donating my old recliner to a local charity to be auctioned off."

Billy scratched his chin and gazed at Charlie in confusion. "But you said it was broken beyond repair."

"I'm sure they can do something with it." Charlie huffed. "If they pick it up it'll save me from paying someone else to do it."

"So charity begins in your wallet then, old man." Billy said sardonically.

"Yes." Charlie nodded his head as Billy's sarcasm went right over his head.

* * *

Bella teetered at the top of the ladder. She gripped the top rung, wondering why on earth she had thought it was a good idea to climb the ladder to clean the windows when she was afraid of heights. She felt like such an idiot. Now she was stuck at the top, too afraid to climb down in case she fell. Why had she even tried to attempt it? She pressed her body against the cold metal rungs, she was frozen solid. She didn't even have her cell phone with her so she couldn't call for help.

"I am such an idiot." Bella mumbled under her breath. "This is torture."

Half an hour passed and still she couldn't move. Bella was tiring. She was getting chilled. The wind had picked up and was lashing at her skin, making her feel more unsafe than ever. The bug bites were itching too which only compounded her misery.

Then suddenly salvation appeared in the form of Jacob. He had just returned from a pack meeting and was astonished to find Bella at the top of the ladder, clinging on for dear life. He knew how scared she was of heights. "Don't move, Bells. I'm coming to get you."

"Hurry, Jake." Bella cried as tears of relief welled in her eyes. "I can't hold on for much longer."

Jacob could hear the panic in her voice. He put his foot on the bottom rung of the ladder, checking that it could safely take his weight and hers. It groaned a little but stayed steady. "Take a few deep breaths and try to stay calm, honey. I'm on my way."

"Okay." Bella said nervously. She had to close her eyes when she felt the ladder shudder under the strain of taking Jacob's weight as well as her own. She kept envisioning the ladder collapsing underneath her and could see herself sailing to the ground and breaking both legs. "Hurry, Jake." She cried hoarsely.

"I'm here." Bella felt Jacob's warm arms wrap around her. His chest was pressed to her back. His supernatural heat chased away the cold and she could finally relax. "Right I'm gonna guide you down with me." Jacob said close to her ear. "We'll take it one rung at a time. Just don't look down."

"Okay." Bella promised.

Jacob kept one muscled arm clamped around her waist in case her foot slipped. He held on to the ladder firmly with his other hand as he carefully helped her descend to the ground. As soon as her feet touched terra firma Bella flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"You saved me."

"It's alright now, Bells." Jacob soothed her. She was trembling in his arms. He cradled the back of her head and kept whispering words of comfort. "You're safe."

"I'm safe because of you." Bella breathed as she hid her face in the crook of his neck. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Jacob was enjoying having her in his arms. He waited, expecting Bella to try and break free, but she seemed content just to stay there. He smiled and rested his chin on her shoulder as she continued to cling to him.

Eventually a car pulled up behind them, forcing them to break apart. Jacob spun around, expecting to see Charlie. But that expectation was dashed when he saw Edward Cullen's stinking silver Volvo parked at the end of the drive. His good mood vanished as he felt the bloodsucker's steely gaze boring into him through the windscreen. Bella was dazed. She hadn't broken free from Jacob entirely but was still holding onto his hand when Edward climbed out of his car.

Edward was by her side in an instant. He had noticed how shaken she was and he immediately blamed Jacob. "What did you do to her?" He demanded angrily.

"Get a grip, bloodsucker." Jacob retorted irritably. "You shouldn't even be here. Didn't Charlie ban you from the house?"

"He didn't ban me." Edward snapped. "He asked me to stay away only while Bella was recovering from her cold."

"That's not how I remember it." Jacob said hotly.

"Jake, please." Bella had finally recovered her wits enough to intervene. She placed her hand on his chest to keep him calm while still gripping his other one. "It's alright Edward is just leaving."

"What?" Edward was totally confused. He must have misheard her. "You mean him, surely."

Bella was calm when she faced him. She looked at him steadily, giving no room for doubt that she was serious. "You can't turn up here uninvited and then accuse Jake of doing something. If you must know he just rescued me from falling off that ladder."

Edward was incredulous. He stared at the tall ladder resting against the side of the house. "You climbed up there... _alone_." He returned his attention back to Bella, looking stern. "What were you thinking, Bella?" He lectured her. "Why would you put yourself at risk like that?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. The leech was talking to Bella like she was a five year old. "Jeez, you're not her father. Bells can look after herself. She's not some delicate little flower."

Edward scowled. "May I remind you that you have just rescued Bella from falling off the ladder."

"She would have gotten down on her own eventually." Jacob shrugged as if it was no big deal. "She's stronger than she looks. Aren't you, Bells?" He tickled her under the chin playfully.

Bella batted his hand away, smiling. She was glowing under his praise. "I guess so."

Edward stood beside them as they continued to exchange teasing banter. He felt like Bella had forgotten he was even there. He cleared his throat loudly to regain her attention. "I was hoping that you could come to the house tonight. Esme has offered to cook an Italian. She is getting quite adept in the kitchen. Or if you prefer we could dine out." He suggested with a charming smile.

"I wouldn't want to trouble Esme." Bella said quickly. She really didn't enjoy eating in front of Edward or his family. They would all watch while she ate and it made her feel awkward. "I can't tonight anyway."

"Why?" Edward didn't hide his hurt.

Jacob could see Bella was struggling so he decided to help her out. "Because we're off shopping for a new chair for Charlie. We accidentally broke his so we decided to get him a brand spanking new one as an apology."

"Bella." Edward ignored Jacob. He could tell that the wolf boy was trying to make an excuse to keep Bella all to himself. He wanted to hear it from her. Only then would he believe it was the truth. He was frustrated that he couldn't probe her mind and read what she was thinking. "If you want to go shopping then I will gladly accompany you." He smiled at her tenderly. "Don't worry about the cost. I'll pay." Edward glanced triumphantly at Jacob as he saw him tense up. He was so certain that Bella would say yes and ditch the dog. "It will be my gift to Charlie."

Bella was quiet for a moment. She looked at Jacob's tense face and Edward's smarmy one. She knew he was only offering to get under Jacob's skin. This wasn't for her benefit. This wasn't being done out of the kindness of his heart. The offer was made out of petty jealousy. Bella expected better of him. "No thank you, Edward. Not this time. I'll see you later." Her tone was dripping with disapproval as she turned away from him and walked into the house without looking back.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Nine**

Charlie was like a kid in a sweetshop as he scuttled around the furniture store trying out one chair after another. He had been so surprised and touched when Bella had grudgingly offered to get him a replacement. After Jacob had told Edward that they were getting Charlie a new chair and then his subsequent offer that he would pay just to get one over on Jacob, she decided to turn Jacob's little white lie into the truth, even if it meant dipping into her college fund to do it.

"As soon as I get some money I'll pay you back." Jacob told Bella for the umpteenth time as they watched Charlie sitting on one of the display recliners and spinning around on it like a five year old.

"You don't need to. This is my responsibility." Bella assured him again.

"I was the one who broke it." Jacob reminded her.

"Only because you were trying to comfort me." Bella groaned when she saw her father heading toward the most expensive recliner on show. Almost immediately a salesman was heading his way, gleefully rubbing his hands together as dollar signs began flashing in his eyes. "Jeez, Jake, we've got to stop him. That thing costs over eight hundred dollars."

"I'm so sorry, Bells." Jacob apologised again as Bella grabbed his hand and tugged him toward Charlie and the eager salesman. He wished he had never mentioned shopping for a new chair in front of the bloodsucker. It was the first excuse that had popped in his head. He never thought that Bella would follow through with it. It was like she was trying to prove a point because Cullen had pissed her off by throwing his money around.

"This is our most sought after recliner, sir. And it's a limited edition one, too. Lots of celebrities have bought this chair to grace their homes. We only have two left in stock right now. So, if you want to go ahead and buy it you'll need to make your decision quick. Sit in it, sir. Get the feel of it. The chair moulds itself to your body offering superior comfort." The salesman adjusted his tie triumphantly as realised he had hooked Charlie in.

"Dad." Bella said hastily before Charlie could park his ass in the expensive chair. "I think this might a bit out of our budget."

"Nonsense." Charlie waved her away. "All the celebrities have got these in their homes."

"Like who?" Bella huffed. She glared at the salesman who smiled at her obsequiously.

"Oh, several." The salesman waved his hands around like a magician doing a magic trick. He was definitely trying to cast a spell over Charlie who was sitting in the chair and getting very comfortable in it. "Do you see what I mean when I say it moulds to your body." He said to Charlie as he turned his back on Bella.

"Yes, it does." Charlie swung back and forth in it, testing its ability to carry his weight. "I think this is the one, Bells."

Bella could have screamed. She grabbed Jacob's hand again and pulled him to one side. "You're gonna have to wolf out on the salesman or something, Jake."

"What?" Jacob was incredulous. "Before we left you told me to hang back and not interfere."

"I take it back. Go over there and let your wolf out and take a chunk out of that pesky salesman." Bella ordered. She was panicking as the salesman was beginning to gather his paperwork together like it was a done deal. "Hurry up." She tried to push him forward but Jacob was immovable.

"I can't do that, Bells." Jacob crossed his arms and frowned. "I am a protector not an intimidator."

"Are you for real?" Bella snapped. "Are you seriously refusing to help me out here?"

"Yes." Jacob was annoyed that she had even asked him. Is that what she thought he was, some kind of thug who used his size and strength to terrorise people into getting what he wanted. He hated that she would think that of him. "I can't believe you're even asking me."

Bella could hear the underlying hurt in his tone. She gazed up at him, perplexed. "I don't see the problem." She said in confusion. "Why won't you help me?"

Jacob could taste the bitter disappointment on his tongue. "I'll go wait in the truck." He muttered as he turned and walked away.

* * *

Charlie was elated with his new chair. He couldn't stop talking about it. He was pleased that he had managed to barter the salesman down to six hundred dollars. He was convinced that he had snapped up a bargain. Bella had put down a hefty deposit, the rest she would pay off in instalments. But money was the furthest thing from her mind. She was worried about Jacob. He had been very quiet on the journey home, only answering occasionally when Charlie asked him a direct question. He didn't speak or look at Bella at all. She wasn't used to not having his undivided attention and it made her anxious.

When they got home Jacob helped Charlie haul his new recliner into the house and put it in pride of place in front of the flat screen. Immediately the police chief made himself comfortable and sat in it, sighing blissfully as the chair moulded to his body. "Thanks, kids. This is even better than my old one." He chuckled. "I think it was fate that you broke it."

Jacob just nodded curtly before marching out of the room. Charlie watched him go in confusion. "What's up with him?" He whispered to Bella.

"Me." Bella replied sadly. She ignored her father's surprised expression as she hurried after Jacob before he had a chance to leave the house. She caught up with him as he reached the front door. "I'm sorry, Jake. Whatever I did I am truly sorry." She cried. "Please don't leave."

Jacob had his fingers on the door handle. He hesitated, hating the devastation in her voice. Every muscle in his body was screaming at him to turn around and comfort her, but his pride made him stay still. She still had no idea why he was upset and he didn't feel he should have to explain. "I don't think I can stay." He said eventually with his back still facing her.

"Why?" Bella pleaded. "I don't understand, Jake."

Jacob took a deep breath and ducked his head. It was so difficult to resist Bella when she sounded so upset. But he couldn't deny how disappointed he felt in her. "That's the hard part, Bells. You're my best friend, you should understand."

His words sounded so final. It frightened Bella. She tried to think what she had done to provoke this reaction in him. All she had wanted him to do was put a bit of pressure on the salesman to stop him from selling the damn chair to Charlie, his size alone would be enough to unnerve the smarmy man. Then it hit her. "Oh, I see." She whispered.

"What do you see?" Jacob gripped the door handle tightly.

"You're not a monster, Jake." Bella drew closer to him. She put a tentative hand on his back, scared he might shy away from her. "But I made you feel like one when I asked you to wolf out on that dumb salesman, didn't I?"

She finally got it. Jacob's eyes filled with moisture as he felt Bella's arms slip around his waist. She clung to him, resting her cheek on his back and closing her eyes in shame. "I'm so sorry." She apologised as she began to cry. "You're right to be mad at me. I'm an idiot. Can you ever forgive me?"

He would always forgive her. Jacob spun around and lifted Bella up into a bear hug. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and sobbed. "Hush, Bells. It's okay." He soothed quietly.

Charlie came out into the hall, alerted by the sound of Bella's cries. He looked at his daughter sobbing in Jacob's arms and he sighed. "Alright, alright." He held up his hands in defeat. "There's no need to cry your heart out, kiddo. I'll pay for the new chair. I know it cost a fair bit and I'm grateful for the gesture, alright."

Bella just cried harder, but this time with laughter. Trust Charlie to think she was weeping over the cost of his ridiculous chair. She didn't give a crap about the money. All she cared about was that Jacob had forgiven her. She had never been so scared in her life at the prospect that she could have lost him because of her own stupidity.

* * *

Now that Charlie was paying for his own chair Bella decided to treat Jacob and her father to a slap up meal in the diner. It was her way of trying to put things right with her best friend. She still felt so ashamed of herself and wanted to show him how much he meant to her and that she was really sorry. Jacob kept telling her to forget about it and that all was forgiven. But Bella didn't want to forget about it. She had taken Jacob and their friendship for granted. She was determined never to let that happen again, because during those scary moments when she was certain he was going to walk away, she had gotten a terrifying glimpse of how much emptier her life would be without him in it. Bella was determined that wasn't going to happen. Ever.

Cora was pleased to see them. She flirted with Charlie, who remained completely oblivious to her attempts to attract his attention. He was too focused on keeping the costs down even though he wasn't the one paying for it. Bella and Jacob exchanged a knowing glance as Cora hovered around Charlie giving him special attention. Bella wished he would notice. Her father had been a bachelor for so long he was getting set in his ways. He needed a good woman to shake him up a bit. During the meal her cell rang. Bella knew it was Edward calling but she ignored it, going so far as to turn her phone off completely as she was tired of the interruption. Jacob was tensing every time it went off, only relaxing when Bella pointedly made a show of switching off her cell in front of him.

The meal passed pleasantly. Cora gave Charlie a free dessert and he was thrilled because he didn't have to pay for it. "This is why I come here. The service is incredible." He whispered to Bella when Cora was forced to leave their table to serve another customer.

Bella wondered how her dad could be so clueless, but didn't feel it was her place to point out the obvious. If Charlie was interested in Cora he would have made a move years ago. Bella felt sorry for the waitress, her attempts to gain Charlie's interest were doomed to failure. Bella began to consider what kind of woman would capture her dad's eye. It was hard to tell. Surely he must have expressed an interest in some women over the years. She was considering asking Billy about it if she could get a moment alone with him when they next visited the hospital.

"I really enjoyed that, Bells." Jacob threw a friendly arm around Bella's shoulders and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek in thanks. Bella elbowed him in the side playfully and he laughed. They were back on track and she couldn't stop smiling.

"I've got to agree, kiddo. I'm stuffed." Charlie rubbed his stomach in satisfaction.

They took a slow stroll back to the house, chatting amiably. Jacob and Bella continued to banter with each other, making Charlie chuckle. He dug his hands in his pockets and took the lead as Jacob suddenly grabbed Bella and threw her over his shoulder playfully. Bella squealed in surprise as he tore off down the road with her draped over his shoulder. Charlie shook his head at their childish antics and laughed again. It was good to see his daughter looking so relaxed and carefree. His good mood lasted all the way to the house, only vanishing when he saw eight bulging suitcases littering his front porch.

"What the hell?" He exclaimed.

"SURPRISE!" Out of nowhere Renee appeared. She threw her arms wide and ran lightly down the porch steps. "LOOKING GOOD, CHARLIE! LOOKING GOOD!" She said as she appraised him gleefully.

"What? Why?" Charlie spluttered when she threw her arms around him enthusiastically in greeting.

"I thought I'd take you up on your offer." Renee said, smiling.

"What offer?" Charlie gasped when she finally let go of her stranglehold on him. He couldn't understand what his ex-wife was doing here. She looked like she had brought half her house with her judging by the contents of her suitcases.

"You said last time we spoke that I should come pay Bella a visit when I had some free time and that I could stay here." Renee declared in a sing song voice. "Well here I am." She laughed at Charlie's discomfiture. "I know I can be impetuous."

"But...but..." Charlie tried to protest. "There's no room, Ren. I've already got Jake staying here."

"I'll just have your room. You don't mind sleeping on the sofa." Renee cooed. She had caught sight of Bella in the distance still being carried on Jacob's shoulder. Her baby blue eyes widened in surprise when she saw Jacob. "Hello handsome." She purred. "Why didn't you tell me our baby girl had a new boyfriend. And such a hottie, too." Renee whispered in an aside to Charlie.

"That's Jake." Charlie was feeling flummoxed. This was what Renee always did to him. She confused things. Made chaos out of order.

Renee's eyes widened even further. "You mean you let our baby's new boyfriend live here with you. In the house. Well things have changed." She said in surprise. "Look at you letting our little girl cohabit. You were always so weirded out by her even dating before. You must really like this new guy."

"Are you even listening to me, woman?" Charlie barked. "Bells and Jake do not share a room."

"Oh, does he sleep on the sofa." Renee snorted with laughter as she gave Charlie a disbelieving look. "Come on, Charlie. I wasn't born yesterday. I've got to say he is a major improvement on that pasty little prick she was dating before." She gazed at Jacob admiringly as he drew closer. Bella hadn't seen her mom yet as she was still draped over his shoulder.

"You were gushing over that pasty little prick if my memory serves me correctly." Charlie snapped.

"Oh, I was just doing that for our baby's sake. But look at her now. My little girl is a woman." Renee clasped her hands together and jumped up and down like an excitable child. "This is going to be fun, Charlie. I can just feel it. All of us together in this house."

"How long are you planning on staying, Ren?" Charlie demanded as he caught a glimpse of the bulging suitcases again.

Renee just laughed at the dour expression on his face before she rushed off to greet her daughter.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Ten**

Renee threw her arms wide and screamed with delight when she saw her daughter's surprised face. She jumped on Bella, almost knocking her flat on the floor as she embraced her tightly. Jacob was quick to save them as they teetered alarmingly before he hastily steadied Bella by gripping her shoulders. His ears were still ringing from Renee's shrieking. He looked toward Charlie for help, wondering who this mad woman was. The police chief was glum and had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he mouthed Renee's name. So, this was Bella's mom. Jacob kept his hands on Bella's shoulders as she fought to escape her mother's enthusiastic hug. She could barely breathe, Renee was holding her so tightly.

"My baby girl all grown up into a woman now." Renee sounded like she was crying as she gushed over how much Bella had changed.

"Mom." Bella let out a strangled cry as Renee squeezed her tightly around the waist one last time before stepping back and assessing Bella proudly. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

"Charlie invited me to stay." Renee gushed as she touched Bella's cheek wearing a happy smile.

"He did?" Bella shot a confused glance in her dad's direction.

"I did no such thing." Charlie huffed as he finally joined them.

"Yes you did, silly man." Renee emitted a tinkling laugh before she leaned close to Bella and whispered in her ear. "He's getting old. He's just forgotten that's all." Bella got a whiff of her mom's strong perfume and she coughed. Renee laughed again as she sighed happily. "It's so good to be back here."

"You hate Forks." Charlie said baldly. "Why are you really here, Ren?" He asked suspiciously.

"To see my baby of course." Renee shooed Charlie to one side so she could look at Jacob appraisingly. "I don't think we've been properly introduced." She purred as she held her hand toward him. "I'm Renee, Bella's mom."

Jacob tried to hide his amused grin as he took her hand and shook it firmly. He could see a faint resemblance between Renee and Bella. They had the same hair colour and pale skin, although Bella got her brown eyes from Charlie. Renee's were a baby blue colour. ""We've actually met before." Jacob revealed to Renee's surprise.

"We have? Now I am intrigued." Renee arched her eyebrow's playfully. "I am sure I would have remembered a hottie like you."

"MOM!" Bella was mortified. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Charlie just raised his eyes to heaven. This was so like Renee.

"Oh, baby, relax." Renee drawled. "So spill." She said, returning her attention to Jacob.

"I'm Billy Black's son." Jacob braced himself for another one of Renee's excited screams.

"NO WAY!" Renee jumped up and down like a child before clasping her hands together. "You can't be little Jakey. The last time I saw you, you were only so high and covered in mud. You'd been teaching my baby how to make mud pies. You were the cutest thing with that big smile of yours and the dimples." Her eyes shone with glee as she clapped her hands together. "I can see now that you've still got the killer smile. No wonder you made my baby's heart melt." Renee sighed dreamily. "This is like something out of a teen romance novel. Childhood sweethearts falling in love."

"MOM!" Bella exclaimed loudly. Her cheeks were burning now. Jacob was laughing at her discomfiture and made no effort to correct Renee's mistaken assumption that they were a couple. He was enjoying this.

"Aww...don't be so embarrassed, baby." Renee teased as she slipped her arm through Bella's and began to walk toward the house. "You always had stars in your eyes when it came to little sweet Jakey. I always remember when you came back from visiting your dad. It was always Jakey did this, Jakey did that. You would prattle on for hours. I knew then. Call it a mother's instinct." She winked at Bella slyly and nudged her in the side. "And now you're living together. I don't know why you kept that to yourself."

Bella felt like her skin was going to combust. She was burning with mortification. She felt too dazed to put her mother straight and nearly stumbled over the myriad suitcases littering the front porch. "Are these all yours?" She checked. Renee looked like she had packed up her house and brought it with her.

"I never travel light. You know me, baby." Renee joked. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at a scowling Charlie and an amused Jacob. "Anyway we've got two strong men to bring the suitcases inside." Charlie's scowl deepened at this proclamation. Renee laughed at his irritated expression before towing Bella inside.

* * *

As soon as Charlie and Jacob had hauled Renee's bulging suitcases inside (well mainly Jacob, Charlie kept complaining about his dodgy back), Renee swept up stairs to the main bedroom and immediately began to empty Charlie's wardrobe. She chucked the contents on his bed, wrinkling his carefully pressed work shirt and pants.

"What the hell are you doing, woman?" Charlie demanded hoarsely. He was so out of breath after lifting the suitcases inside that he could hardly speak.

"I need somewhere to put my clothes. They'll get all creased if I leave them in the suitcases, duh!" Renee patted Charlie on the chest before resuming rifling through his personal items.

They immediately began to bicker as Charlie tried to stuff his clothes back into his wardrobe while his ex-wife just took them out again. A battle of wills had begun. Downstairs Bella cradled a glass of wine. She didn't normally drink but her mother's sudden appearance had thrown her through a loop. This was so like Renee, she blasted in like a hurricane, creating disaster in her wake, before swooping off again to cause havoc somewhere else. But the fact that she had brought so many suitcases with her inferred that she was going to be staying for more than a couple of nights.

"Fill that up again, Jake." Bella ordered after draining her first glass.

Jacob had never seen Bella drink before. He cautiously poured her another glass. "Are you alright, honey?"

"I honestly don't know." Bella swished the red wine around in her glass.

"You had no idea she was coming." Jacob checked. He gazed at Bella's pretty face in concern. She looked shell shocked.

"None at all." Bella took a long sip from her glass before exhaling loudly. "She's only been here five minutes and she's already driving me to drink. Dad will be next. I warn you." She gave Jacob a dark look. "She'll drive you crazy, too. Do werewolves get drunk?" She asked with interest before raising the glass to her lips again.

"Not really, although it's not through lack of trying. Paul and Quil made themselves sick by drinking too much of the res moonshine for a bet. I'm sure the tools will find a way to get drunk one day." Jacob said dubiously.

Bella giggled. "They're such idiots." She mumbled as she poured herself a third glass.

"Bells, maybe you should slow down." Jacob cautioned her. He could see the wine was affecting her already.

"Jakey, Jakey...no lectures, please." Bella pouted. "Have a glass. It's very relaxing."

"Oh hell, why not?" Jacob gave in. Upstairs the voices were getting louder as Renee and Charlie continued in their battle of wills. It seemed that Renee was winning. Jacob poured himself a generous glass and hit his against Bella's half full one. "Here's to your mom." He said, grinning.

Bella snorted with laughter as she raised her glass in a toast. "Here's to Renee and all who sail in her." She said before flinging her head back and gulping down the rest of the wine.

* * *

By the time Charlie and Renee came down the stairs Bella was perched on Jacob's lap, waving her wine glass around wildly, and laughing loudly at one of his jokes. On the table there were two bottles of red wine, one empty, the other only half full. Even though Jacob wasn't drunk, the alcohol had put him in a merry mood. He grinned at Charlie, while narrowly avoiding Bella's elbow as it sailed past his face when she greeted her parents.

"Hallooo Momma and Pappa." Bella bellowed loudly. She snorted with laughter at the shocked expressions on their faces. They looked so alike all of a sudden that Bella thought it was the funniest thing in the world. "Chill, parents. Come and have a drink?" She waved her hand erratically, slopping some of her wine in Jacob's hair. "Oops." Bella clapped her hand over her mouth exaggeratedly. "Sorry, Jakey."

"No worries, Bells." Jacob ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand up in spikes. His arm was anchored around her waist, holding her in place in case she fell onto the floor.

"Baby, are you drunk?" Renee seemed completely shocked.

"Am I drunk, Jakey?" Bella put on a stern voice as she pretended to frown.

"Maybe just a little tipsy." Jacob laughed along with her as she broke out into a fresh smile and giggled.

"I can't believe this." Charlie was incredulous. "See, woman, you've driven them to drink already."

Renee put her hands on her hips and glared at Charlie. "Our baby is just celebrating that I'm here." She spun around to face Bella again. "Isn't that right, baby girl?"

Bella nodded dumbly. The wine was making her confused but it seemed that right thing to do because Renee beamed and reached for the wine bottle. "I might join you." She said, before throwing a challenging look in Charlie's direction. "Your father has just forgotten how to have fun."

"I do know how to have fun." Charlie retorted. "I'm a fun guy. Isn't that right, kiddo?"

Bella nodded again, smiling. She had no idea what her parents were talking about. Jacob had taken her wine glass out of her hand before she slopped anymore over him. Bella flung her arms around his neck dramatically and snuggled her face against his shoulder. "You are so incredibly hot, wolf boy." She smiled blissfully as his supernatural heat warmed her chilled skin.

Renee gazed at them like they were the cutest thing she had ever seen. Happy tears glowed in her eyes. "Aren't they the sweetest?" She whispered to Charlie. "She's even got a cute nick name for him. Aww...wolf boy." She sighed dreamily again as she poured herself some of the wine.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, woman." Charlie complained. He turned his nose up at the wine as Renee offered him the bottle. "I'm a man. I need a real drink." He reached into the fridge and pulled out a beer.

"I'm a man. I need a real drink." Renee imitated him to perfection, causing Bella to cackle with laughter.

Charlie mumbled something under his breath as he lobbed another bottle toward Jacob, who caught it easily. "That'll put hairs on your chest, boy."

"Jakey's chest is all smooth." Bella snickered as she ran her fingers over the top of the thin t-shirt covering his chest. Jacob tensed under her touch. He was suddenly feeling hotter than ever.

"You should know, baby." Renee teased as she raised her glass toward Bella. "Your dad has always been so hairy. When I first met him on the beach with his friends, he was wearing just his board shorts. His chest was covered in thick black hair. My friends joked he probably turned into a werewolf when the full moon came out." She laughed when Charlie glared at her indignantly. "I bet the hairs are all grey now, though. Let me see."

"Get off, woman." Charlie shoved her hand away as she tried to tug at his shirt.

"Aww...ickle Charlie is being all coy." Renee began to follow Charlie as he hurried away from her. He ran out of the kitchen clutching his beer, with his ex hot on his heels.

Jacob and Bella took one look at each other and burst into laughter. The olds were just too funny. Their amusement came to an abrupt end when Bella accidentally fell forward and their foreheads cracked together, knocking Bella flat in Jacob's arms.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Eleven**

"This is the Black secret recipe. I promise it'll work, honey." Jacob hid his amused smile as he passed the glass to Bella.

"Ugh...what is this. It smells awful. I'm not drinking that." Bella moaned as she pushed it away. Her head was aching abominably. "I am never drinking again." Her mouth felt awful, dry and scratchy. "Are you trying to finish me off?" She rubbed the sore spot on her forehead where they had bashed their heads together. She was still seeing stars.

Jacob put the glass down and gently touched her clammy skin. He ran his forefinger over the blossoming bruise. Bella gazed up at his handsome face. He was looking guilty. It wasn't his fault. What happened had been an accident. She swallowed, closing her eyes as he continued to rub her forehead gently. "I am so sorry, Bells." He said huskily. "You could have really been hurt."

"I wasn't though." Bella opened her eyes again. She hated that he was blaming himself for something that was out of his control. "I was the one drinking too much."

"But I should have looked after you better. I was being an ass." Jacob leaned closer. Bella held her breath. He was so warm. Her skin tingled where he touched it. She swallowed again, suddenly feeling nervous and not understanding why. "I won't screw up again. I promise I'll keep you safe." Then his eyes closed and his warm lips were pressed against her forehead. Bella gasped at the contact. Jacob had never done that before.

Charlie walked into the kitchen then, interrupting their moment. Bella and Jacob jerked apart as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn't. Charlie didn't notice. He was too busy feeling sorry for himself. He had spent the night on the sofa after Renee had claimed his room and his back had paid the price. "I can't carry on like this." He complained as he spotted the glass of the Black's miracle hangover cure on the table. "Is that for me?"

"I made it for Bells." Jacob said as Charlie reached for the glass.

"It's alright, Jake." Bella grimaced as she motioned for her father to take it. "You can have it."

"Thanks, kiddo. I think I might have had one too many beers last night. My throat feels raw." Charlie raised the glass to his lips. "I blame your mother." He muttered before chugging the contents of the glass down in one go.

Bella waited for Charlie to cough and splutter at the awful taste. But instead he smacked his lips together and smiled. "Works like a charm." He declared as colour returned to his face.

Bella saw Jacob smile as Charlie handed the empty glass back to her. "I can't believe you just drank that." She said in disbelief.

"I told you, Bells. It really does work. Want me to make you another one?" Jacob offered.

"Yes...yes." Bella agreed fervently. If her father had drunk it and was okay, then she was willing to give it a go. "Hurry, Jake, before my head explodes."

Jacob chuckled as he left to whip up another batch of the Black's secret recipe. While he was busy Charlie took his vacated seat and sat down next to his daughter. He studied her pale complexion and tired eyes. "You shouldn't have been drinking like that, kiddo. You know that, right. And I shouldn't have let you." He sighed, running his fingers through his messy hair. "It's Renee, she drives me crazy."

"Mom does like to shake things up a bit." Bella admitted. She was still wondering what had prompted Renee's impromptu visit. Her memories were still fuzzy from the night before. "Did she say how long she was staying?" She asked.

"By the amount of crap she brought with her it seems like forever." Charlie replied glumly.

Bella looked at her father sympathetically. Renee had always been a force to be reckoned with. Charlie did his best to understand his ex-wife but his blundering attempts to communicate with her often left him with egg on his face. "Thanks for letting her stay, dad. You didn't have to." She placed her hand over his in a rare display of affection.

Charlie was touched by her gesture. He smiled, clearing his throat awkwardly, not used to Bella showing him such attention. "She's your mother, Bells." He mumbled, shrugging.

Bella took her hand away. She could see Charlie was feeling overwhelmed. Jacob returned with another glass of the Black's secret recipe. He passed it to Bella, grinning. She took it from him gingerly, wrinkling her nose in distaste at the bad smell. Well Charlie had just chugged it down and hadn't keeled over so she would give it a go. Bella flinched as she raised the glass to her lips and got ready to drink. "This better work, Jacob Black, or you are so dead." She warned him, before tipping her head back and downing the lot in one go.

* * *

Renee was wearing dark sunglasses when she emerged from Charlie's bedroom after having slept in for most of the morning. Charlie had left for work and Jacob was out patrolling with his brothers, so it was just her and Bella in the house. Renee was expecting to find Bella feeling as bad, or if not worse, then she did. But to her surprise she found her daughter in the kitchen, cooking.

"Oh my god, baby. How can you be in such a chirpy mood?" Renee groaned as she pulled her sunglasses down a little and stared at her daughter.

"Unlike you I can handle my drink." Bella lied. She wasn't going to tell Renee about the Black's secret recipe. Her mother deserved her sore head after literally ejecting Charlie out of his room.

"Where is everyone anyway?" Renee poured herself a glass of cold water to soothe her dry throat.

"Dad's gone into work and Jake is with his friends. He'll be going to see his dad later in the hospital." Bella stirred the sauce in the pan, before ducking down to check the food in the oven. "Do you want some breakfast...or should I say lunch seeing as it's now one in the afternoon."

"No food. Ugh." Renee flinched as her face paled further. She glanced around the kitchen, looking bemused. "Has Charlie changed nothing since I left. I painted these cupboards yellow." She gazed at the faded paintwork.

"Before I moved back in I don't think dad spent much time here except to sleep." Bella turned off the burner and moved the pan to one side so the sauce could cool down.

"That's really quite sad." Renee sounded regretful. "I always hoped that Charlie would have been able to move on, but it looks like he's still stuck in the past."

Bella didn't like this criticism of her father. Yes, Charlie could be set in his ways. He was definitely a confirmed bachelor, but he was also a kind and loving man. He had been there for her in ways she could never have imagined when she had first moved back home. "Dad is most definitely not stuck in the past." Bella snapped at her mother. "He's not been spending the last few years pining after you if that's what you're suggesting."

Renee was shocked at Bella's abrupt outburst. "I know he hasn't been pining for me. That's not what I meant."

"Do you even know what you mean?" Bella turned away from the stove so she could give Renee her full attention. "Why are you here, mom? Why the sudden visit?"

"I came to see you." Renee said weakly. "I told you that Charlie had invited me. I missed you, baby. Is that so bad?"

Bella saw the tears welling in Renee's eyes. She immediately felt guilty. Arguing with her mother was like arguing with a child. She sighed and hurriedly went to comfort Renee, drawing her head to her shoulder as she murmured words of apology. "I didn't mean it. I missed you too, mom."

After a while Renee recovered her composure and took off her sunglasses. Bella silently passed her mother a soft tissue and Renee took it gratefully and blew her nose. "Can we start again, baby?" She pleaded with Bella.

"Yeah." Bella agreed. It was always easier to cave in with Renee to limit the histrionics. She was about to say more when her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. Bella sighed, knowing that it was probably Edward calling. She couldn't put off talking to him much longer. "I just need to get this. Sorry." Bella gave her mother an apologetic smile as she left the kitchen so she could talk to Edward in private.

* * *

"My mom's here." Bella said in exasperation. "That's why I didn't return your calls or invite you over. I've been busy."

"This is so frustrating. Alice cannot see you because of Black being a permanent fixture in your house, otherwise I would have known." Edward whined. "How much longer is he going to be staying there?"

"As long as he needs to." Bella huffed. She was annoyed by Edward's tone. He hadn't even bothered to ask about Renee. Instead he had waded right on in with his complaints. "And yes my mom is in perfect health thank you for asking."

Edward realised he had made a mistake. He immediately changed tack. "I'm sorry, Bella. It's just been so difficult for me having to keep my distance. I'm being very selfish. Do you forgive me?"

"I suppose so." Bella mumbled, even though she was still annoyed with him. Her mind was still on Renee. She wanted to get to the bottom of why her mother had made such a rash visit. There had to be a reason beside the fact that she was missing her.

"Why don't you and your mother come over for dinner tonight?" Edward suggested suddenly. "I've told you that Esme has been experimenting with her cooking. Or we could order a take out if you prefer. Isn't that the modern way?"

His joke fell flat. Bella wasn't impressed. The last thing she wanted was to spend an evening under his family's intense scrutiny. How was she supposed to explain to Renee why they were the only two eating? Sometimes Edward could be so absurd. "I'm cooking tonight." Bella rebuffed his offer irritably. "My mom's only been back for one night so I would like to keep it just the family for now."

"The family." Edward said sharply. "Does that include Jacob Black?"

"Oh, grow up, Edward." Bella snapped at him before ending the call. Jealousy was an ugly thing and she didn't want to hear his petty criticism just because he was envious of the fact that she was spending more time with her best friend than him these days. She hadn't realised how immature Edward could be . Bella turned her cell off so he couldn't call her back, and then went to rejoin her mother in the kitchen.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twelve**

Billy was pleased to see his son. Now he was feeling much livelier, he found his whole hospital experience trying. He tried to while away the hours by keeping his brain occupied. Charlie had brought him a book featuring complex crossword puzzles and Sudoku. Normally Billy would have shied away from anything like this, but he had found himself becoming addicted. He was working on one particularly difficult crossword when Jacob breezed into his room. Billy beamed with pride when he saw his son. He abandoned the crossword and stuck the pencil behind his ear as he reached out to embrace Jacob.

"You're looking good, dad." Jacob was so relieved. It had been such a long time since he'd seen Billy looking this healthy. His tan skin was much brighter, his dark brown eyes were sparkling with life. Even his long, black hair seemed more glossy and fuller. The tender loving care of the doctors and nurses had really made an impact.

"So do you." Billy replied, assessing him carefully. Jacob had practically bounced into the room. He screamed health and vitality. "You look happy."

"I'm always happy." Jacob pulled up a chair and sat down.

"You know what I mean." Billy raised his eyebrows, waiting for Jacob to fill him in on the latest developments. "No sign of Cullen lately."

Jacob tried to hide his grin. Billy wasn't even bothering to be subtle. "Not at the house, thankfully. I take it Charlie told you about Renee."

"Hell, yes." Billy shook his head in disbelief. He wasn't Renee's greatest fan. He had supported Charlie in the aftermath of her abrupt decision to leave and take Bella with her. It was something that wasn't easily forgiven. Charlie had been a mess for a very long time afterward. "The chief came to see me this morning to vent. He says she's already driving him crazy."

"She's driving Bella to distraction, too." Jacob admitted. Bella had been tense when he had left the house to join his brothers on patrol. He was supposed to have been giving her a lift to school, but Renee had insisted she wanted to drive Bella instead.

"I can imagine. Renee is like a tornado. She causes havoc wherever she goes." Billy sighed heavily. "From what the chief told me, she could be hanging around for a while yet." Billy paused for a few seconds as he studied his son curiously. "And how do you get on with her?"

"She's my biggest fan." Jacob revealed with a teasing glint in his eyes. "She thinks that Bells and I are in a relationship and actually living together."

"What?" Billy spluttered. "Bella must have told her...or the chief."

"Let's just say no one has had the chance." Jacob laughed when Billy looked at him sternly. "Seriously, there hasn't been time to set her straight."

"And I bet you are loving that."

"Let's just say I'm not hating it." Jacob saw his dad's worried frown. "Honestly, it's all good. Things are going great, you don't need to worry about me. Apart from when she's at school and can't avoid him, Bells has been putting me first. I'm confident that her feelings are changing. There's a spark there. She's beginning to see that Cullen is stifling her."

"Even so, just be careful, son." Billy cautioned him. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I won't."

"Alright, son. Still, just tread carefully. Don't rush into anything." Billy was still dubious.

"Patience is my middle name." Jacob assured him with a confident smile.

* * *

"This thing is like a tank." Renee complained as she tried to change gears. The old Chevy shuddered.

"I told you that you need to double pump the clutch." Bella wished she had tried harder to dissuade Renee from giving her a ride to school. It was supposed to have been Jacob driving, but Renee had been insistent.

"Charlie should have bought you a new car." Renee huffed as the Chevy juddered again. "You shouldn't be driving around in this old monster. It's dangerous."

"I love this old monster." Bella snapped. "Jake totally rebuilt the engine. He services it regularly for me. This is the safest vehicle on the road."

"Ah, now I see." Renee smiled knowingly as she changed gears again.

"See what?" Bella huffed. "Keep your eyes on the road, mom."

Renee laughed as she returned her attention to the road ahead. "You can't fool me, baby. You love this old truck because it was like a gift from Jake. I get it now."

Bella was about to refute this statement but stopped. Maybe her mother was right, there was an element of truth in her assumption. The truck was like a gift from Jake in a way. He had spent a lot of time refurbishing the old Chevy for her sake so she would have something to drive when she moved back to Forks. It was a really sweet thing for him to do when she really thought about it. They hadn't seen each other in years, but despite this he had worked on the truck in his own precious time to get it roadworthy for her arrival. That was no mean feat.

"Jake has awesome mad skills." She said instead.

"Uh huh." Renee drawled. She glanced at her daughter with a playful expression. "That's just one of his many awesome talents I imagine."

"Yes, he's very..." Bella stopped speaking and glared at Renee as she finally got the hint. "Ha ha...turn left here into the car park." She ordered as Forks High came into view.

Renee was still laughing as she followed Bella's directions. She looked with interest at the other students milling around, some alone, some in groups. Then in the distance she spotted Edward Cullen and his family. Renee pulled up into an empty space and turned off the truck's loud rumbling engine. Suddenly there was a deafening silence.

"Are you okay, mom?" Bella asked when she noticed the odd look on Renee's face. "Is something wrong?"

Renee was staring over at Edward. He had spotted the Chevy and was already hurrying over to them. His family had left him and were drifting toward the school. It was the first time that Renee had gotten a glimpse of the other Cullens apart from Carlisle. For adopted siblings they all looked remarkably similar with their handsome looks, ultra white skin and golden brown eyes. What were the odds on that? It was like Carlisle Cullen had studied their gene pool before adopting this eclectic mix of teenagers.

"You go inside, baby." Renee told Bella as she watched Edward draw closer. "I'll handle him."

"What?" Bella was totally confused. "Mom, I don't understand."

"It's fine. I've met him before. Just go on in. I'll be here to pick you up after school, okay." Renee smiled at Bella but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Okay." Bella shrugged. She was used to Renee's ways. Maybe she just wanted to get to know Edward again. They had met a few times at the hospital where she was recovering in the aftermath of James' attack. Thinking about that brought on old feelings of panic. Bella paled, suddenly feeling sick. "Um...I'll see you later, mom."

Renee saw the panic flash in her daughter's eyes. Her expression hardened. "See you later, baby."

Bella jumped out of the truck with her head down. She couldn't even look in Edward's direction. She was feeling too nauseous. With everything that had been happening the last few days she had managed to push her anxieties about James' vengeful mate, Victoria, to the back of her mind. Bella left Renee to greet Edward as she hurried into the school before she really was sick. She would see him inside once she had managed to compose herself.

* * *

Edward was confused when he saw Bella running away from him. He wanted to follow but Renee got in his path. He paused, getting ready to greet her, when he was hit full force by Renee's hostility. She was livid with him. Edward didn't understand. He was having difficulty detangling Renee's incoherent thoughts. It really was like mother like daughter. She hadn't been like this before. In the hospital they had gotten along really well. Edward had been sure that she was impressed by him. What had changed?

"It's good to see you again, Mrs, Dwyer." Edward said politely as he formed his lips into a smile. "Is Bella alright? She seems..."

"Charlie is a cop." Renee interrupted him. "If needs be he will get a restraining order against you."

Edward felt like his brain was scrambled. He stared at Renee in confusion. Her mind was full of angry thoughts. He was struggling to make sense of them. "Please, I think there has been some misunderstanding..."

"You can't keep stalking my daughter. I won't have it." Renee snapped at him. "She should be able to feel safe coming to school. Now I understand why she was so insistent that her boyfriend drive her here. She was worried about encountering you. Listen, she has moved on. I suggest you do the same."

"Boyfriend?" Edward stared hard at Renee as he tried to decipher what the hell was going on in the crazy woman's mind. "I'm Bella's boyfriend."

"Oh my god. You are delusional." Renee shook her head in disgust. "I'm going to see the principal right now and warn him about what is going on here. I know my baby, she doesn't like causing trouble and has no doubt been hoping this will all go away on its own. I'm warning you, stay away from my daughter or there will be consequences."

Edward remained frozen in place as he watched Renee march toward the school. He couldn't believe what had just happened. If she put her allegations to the principal there would be an investigation. He would instantly be removed from all of Bella's classes. This was insane. Edward didn't know what to do. He pulled out his cell and tried ringing Bella, but his call just went right to voicemail. Instead he pulled up Alice's number and called her instead. If anyone could find out what was going on it was his psychic sibling.

* * *

Bella was sick. She leaned against the cubicle, her skin slick with sweat. She felt awful. Maybe she was coming down with another cold. Or more likely stress from thinking about James and Victoria. Tears welled in her eyes. Since Jacob had come to stay she had managed to stop thinking about it. Life almost seemed normal. She had felt like just another teenage girl dealing with normal teenage crisis. But today had been a reminder that her life was far from normal. Bella stumbled over to the sink and turned on the tap. She dabbed cold water over her hot face to freshen up. There was no way she could attend lessons today, she felt too stressed. Bella didn't think she could cope with Edward's suffocating need to protect her either. She needed to breathe.

Bella pulled out her cell phone and called Jacob. "Can you come get me?" She begged him after he answered on the first ring. "I don't feel too good."

"I'm on my way." Jacob promised her as he hurriedly bid his dad goodbye and fled his hospital room. Bella sounded strange and tearful, nothing like the confident girl he had been used to the last few days. Something had spooked her. And it had to be Cullen.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-wow, the last update really provoked a lot of heated feelings about Bella reverting to type and being too weak and whiny. And there was me just thinking the poor girl was just feeling overwhelmed with painful memories of James' attack and was reaching out to her best friend for support. Isn't that what friends do?**_

 _ **I've added an extra scene that wasn't in the original draft of this chapter where Bella discusses her state of mind. A girl can't be strong all the time, especially if they've got a spiteful red headed vamp hell bent on revenge. Just sayin'**_

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Jacob had picked Bella up and then driven straight to La Push. He could sense that she wasn't ready to talk when she climbed into his car and shut the door. She was very tense, her complexion was paler than normal. She didn't look sick exactly, more overanxious. Jacob didn't press her for details, instead he took her to First beach. When he was worried about something, or there was a perplexing problem he couldn't solve, he often came here himself. Just walking along the sand, with the wind feeling fresh on his hot skin, and the soothing sound of the ocean nearby, always helped to clear his head. He hoped it would do the same for Bella. When they arrived they left the car and went to stroll along the beach. It was an overcast day, but the breeze was light. It ruffled Bella's hair as they walked.

They covered the whole length of the beach before Bella was relaxed enough to talk. Jacob took her to the bleached driftwood log that was located near the far end of the long beach. They were shielded from the worst of the wind coming off the ocean by the tall cliffs surrounding them. It was sheltered and gave an allusion of privacy. Jacob sat down first and then Bella curled up beside him. She looked over at the sea. White foam hit the craggy rocks at the base of the cliffs and the salt spray sparkled in the weak light filtering through the clouds.

"I'm weak, Jacob." Bella said suddenly, taking him by surprise.

"No." Jacob protested. "Why would you think that?" He gazed at her in confusion as he tried to figure out from her expression what she was thinking. She looked pensive. "You are not weak, Bells. Far from it in fact."

"But I am." Bella whispered in despair. "Something stupid triggered a memory about the night Victoria's mate attacked me. I fell apart so quickly, it made me feel ill. I ran to the bathroom and just made it in time before I was sick."

"Bells, you went through a traumatic experience. It's understandable that you would feel overwhelmed when thinking about it." Jacob reached for her hand. Bella was trembling slightly. He hated that she was feeling ashamed of a natural human emotion. Hell, he had no idea of exactly what she had gone through. She had never gone into great detail about what happened that night. All she had told him was that she had crossed paths with the tracker James after he had tricked her into thinking he had kidnapped Renee and was holding her hostage. He knew she had been bitten by the tracker; the scars were still evident on her wrist. Jacob rubbed his thumb over them now as he tried to comfort her.

"But I should have been able to cope on my own. But instead I called you." Bella was struggling to forgive herself. She breathed deeply as she continued to stare at the ocean. "I'm sorry that I keep dragging you into my problems. It's not fair on you. I can't keep relying on you to pick me up when I fall. You've done enough of that already."

"Jeez, Bells, stop." Jacob chided her gently. "You don't need to feel guilty for asking me for help. That's what friends do. You've been doing the same for me since dad was taken into hospital. I don't know what I would have done without your support. I may not have shown it at the time but I was shit scared that this time my dad was gonna die. When he first went in the doctors told me it was touch and go. After losing mom he's all I've got left, and..." Jacob couldn't go on. Moisture welled in his eyes as he looked at Bella imploringly, trying to make her understand that she had nothing to be ashamed of and that their mutual support of each other worked both ways.

"Oh, Jake, I'm such an idiot." Bella brushed her guilt to one side and flung her arms around his neck. She held him tightly, realising that he was right. "You know I am so glad you moved in with me. I missed you like crazy when we weren't speaking to each other. It was awful." She ran her fingers through the fine hairs along the nape of his neck. His hair was getting long again. He had been letting it grow out of the short crop. "I never told you that and I should've."

"You didn't need to tell me." Jacob's voice was husky with emotion. He held onto Bella, loving the feel of her in his arms. "I always knew, but I was too stubborn to let go of my hurt for a while. It all seems so dumb now. I'm sorry for telling Charlie about the motorbikes."

Bella laughed through her tears. She pulled back and studied his handsome face, smiling slightly. "I understand why you did it. Even though I was angry at the time. Poor dad." She recalled Charlie's reaction, the disappointment in his eyes as well as the anger. He hated motorbikes, he considered them death traps. He had witnessed the senseless deaths of reckless teenagers too many times in his long career to think otherwise. "I never did apologise to him properly you know. I mean I said sorry but it was just words."

Jacob nodded in understanding. He touched Bella's face, gently wiping away the last of her tears. "Perhaps you can tell him again, huh."

"I will." Bella promised. Her smiled slowly faded as she locked eyes with him. Her breathing slowed down as the tension ramped up again. "I need to say sorry to you, too. Leaving you behind when I went to Italy with Alice was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I felt trapped and didn't see a way out. I had to stop Edward going through with his suicidal plan. I would never have been able to live with myself otherwise." She paused, watching the kaleidoscope of emotions reflected in Jacob's dark eyes.

God, the memory hurt. Jacob held her gaze steadily as he refused to let old pain overwhelm him. He meant what he had told her before, none of it mattered anymore. Nearly losing Billy had put things into perspective. He was beginning to see that maybe it had done the same for Bella. She was right when she said that when he moved in things had begun to change. "I wish we could all have done things differently." He said eventually. "But that's all in the past. We need to forgive ourselves and look forward not back."

"Yes, looking forward." Bella agreed. Her gaze turned contemplative as she began to brood. So much had changed since Billy had been in the hospital. She had changed. Jacob was looking at her tenderly. Bella squeezed his hand in thanks. "I really needed this. Thank you."

Jacob's answering smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. Bella was warmed by it. She had one more confession to make. One that it was only fair that he hear and one that she had been refusing to admit to herself until now."I haven't missed Edward at all since you moved in. Even with all the ridiculous drama surrounding dad and his chair. I've never had so much fun in my life, or felt more like myself than when I'm around you."

* * *

Charlie scowled when he popped home for lunch and found his ex-wife curled up in his new recliner. It was his one sacred rule that she not sit in his favourite chair. She had taken over his bedroom, in fact she had taken over his whole house. Her things were everywhere. But he had made her solemnly promise that the recliner was off limits and was all his. Sure, they had both been a bit tipsy when he had made her take the vow. But still...

"There are other chairs in this room." He pointed out irritably as he marched into the lounge. He groaned when he saw a coffee cup perched on one of the arms. He hurriedly lifted it up only to find a circular stain on the material underneath. "Haven't you heard of coasters, Ren?"

"I couldn't find any." Renee said airily. "Sit down. I've got something to tell you."

"Are you leaving?" Charlie asked hopefully as he perched on the edge of the sofa.

"Don't be ridiculous." Renee rolled her eyes at him. "I spoke to the school principal this morning." She confided.

"What did you do now?" Charlie asked dubiously. Jeez, the woman was only supposed to give their daughter a lift to school, but somehow she had managed to get in trouble with the principal. It beggared belief. This was going to be another mess of hers he was going to have to clean up.

"Get a grip, Charlie." Renee scolded him. "I didn't do anything. I was the one who went to see him. It was time one of us did something to help our baby. You certainly haven't stepped up. So it was lucky I was here to do it for you." She pursed her lips disapprovingly.

"What are you wittering on about, woman?" Charlie demanded, feeling insulted.

"Our baby was very upset this morning. That ex of hers is a piece of work. He only had the audacity to swan right up to us when I dropped our baby girl off at school. I could see how affected she was. So I sent her inside and had a quiet word with the little stalker. I warned him that we would get a restraining order if he came near Bella again, and I also told him I would speak to the principal about his controlling behaviour." Renee smiled in satisfaction as she recalled her conversation with the head of the school. "Let's just say our baby won't have to put up with his surly face in any of her classes anymore."

Charlie was shocked. He stared at Renee as if he had never seen her before. "Dammit, woman, you are a little wildcat when you want to be." He looked at her appraisingly. "I think we both deserve a drink."

Renee smirked at Charlie's unintended compliment. He hadn't called her a wildcat in years. It used to be his nickname for her when they were first dating. She was always getting into trouble back then when she let her mouth run away with her. "I might even give you your precious chair back." She said as she began to rise.

"No, you stay right there, Ren. You've earned it." Charlie watched Renee sink back into the recliner, smiling. He frowned. "Don't get too comfortable though. This is just a one off." He warned her.

"If you say so, Charlie." Renee laughed. "If you say so."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Fourteen**

The smells wafting from the kitchen were extremely unpleasant. As soon as Jacob and Bella let themselves into the house they began to cough. Bella's eyes began to water. Jacob was trying to hold his breath, but ended up gagging. They fled back outside, gasping in relief as the fresh air hit their faces.

"What is that?" Jacob wrinkled his nose in disgust. "It smells like one of those stink bombs Quil let off in the science lab once."

Bella wiped her streaming eyes with the back of her hands. She coughed again as she tried to draw too much air into her lungs at once. It took her a few moments to regain the ability to speak. "Its mom." She gasped.

"What?" Jacob looked back at the house in alarm. "Should I go back inside and rescue her or something."

Bella tried not to laugh at the shocked expression on his face. "No...what I mean is mom's experimenting again."

"With what?" Jacob was completely confused. Charlie was going to pitch a fit when he came home from work to find his house being used as a science lab.

"Cooking." Bella couldn't hide her smile anymore at the horrified look in Jacob's eyes. He looked absolutely terrified.

"No way is she cooking in there, Bells. Whatever she's rustling up could kill a normal human being." Jacob pretended to shudder.

"You're not a normal human being." Bella teased him. She couldn't stop laughing. She reached out and patted his taut stomach. "I'm sure your wolf belly can handle it. You're a quick healer, right."

"Ugh...are you serious. That would end even me." Jacob shuddered again. "I like your mom and everything, Bells. But I've heard the horror stories Charlie used to tell about her cooking. He's still traumatised by it all. I can see why now."

"Why do you think I always used to do the cooking when I was living with Renee." Bella gazed at the house. She was going to have to be brave and go inside. She needed to go in and put a stop to whatever disaster that her mother was concocting. She couldn't understood what had motivated Renee to even attempt it. "I better head in."

"Well at least I'm not the only one who isn't domestically challenged." Jacob said dubiously. "Are you sure you want to risk going in?"

Bella began to pull her shirt off. She giggled when Jacob's eyes widened in shock. He was looking at her like she was about to do a striptease in the middle of the street. "Chill, wolf boy. I have a tank top underneath."

Jacob felt his skin heat up. He was glad his tan skin hid his blushes. "I knew that." He tried to act nonchalant but failed. "I told you that you were brave."

"Or stupid in this case." Bella folded up her shirt and then covered her mouth and nose with it to stop the suffocating fumes from choking her again. "Here I go." Her voice was muffled. She glanced at Jacob one last time. "You could come with me."

"Not this time, sister. You are on your own." Jacob said with a grin.

* * *

Bella's eyes were streaming so badly she could hardly see. She ran blindly into the kitchen calling Renee's name. She found her mother standing over the stove, panicking. Several saucepans were on the burners, their contents bubbling alarmingly. Bella coughed as she went straight to the window and pushed it open. Fresh air streamed in and she sighed in relief.

"Oh, baby, I don't know what happened." Renee cried when she saw her daughter. Her hands fluttered in front of her face as she watched Bella haul the saucepans off the burners one by one. Then she switched them off. "I was doing so well, too." She lamented as the contents began to curdle.

Bella dabbed at her face with her shirt and breathed in deeply. Renee's face was a vibrant shade of red from where she had been hovering over the steaming pans. Her hair was wet with sweat. Fine tendrils hung around her heart shaped face. She looked completely crushed that her experiment had failed. Bella was used to dealing with the aftermath of her mother's enthusiastic attempts to be a domestic goddess. She gently guided Renee to a chair and helped her to sit down.

"I just wanted to surprise you all, baby." Renee said glumly. "I noticed that Charlie seems to have an abundance of fish in the freezer so I thought I could make use of them. I was trying to replicate your grandmother's special sauce. The first four attempts failed but I was sure that last batch I whipped up was near perfect."

"Oh, mom." Bella put her hand over Renee's and squeezed. "You should have asked me for help. We could have done it together." She winced when she glanced at the ruined stove and the dripping walls. This was even worse than when Jacob tried to cook. Some of the wallpaper was already peeling off and there were black spots on the ceiling. She noticed the mangled smoke alarm. It must have gone off and Renee had tried to disable it.

"I told you I wanted this to be a special surprise, baby. You were so distressed this morning when I dropped you off at school because of that creepy ex of yours." Renee babbled. "By the way I totally sorted that out for you. He won't be bothering you again. You can go to your classes in peace."

"Huh?" Bella got lost in this mire of information.

"I hope the principal kept his word." Renee gazed at Bella innocently. "He wasn't in your classes today was he, baby."

"Oh...I kinda ditched school today." Bella admitted. She felt her heart clinch in her chest. Edward had been calling her constantly all day but she had ignored him as she spent time with Jacob on the beach. This was all such a mess. What had Renee done?

"You never went to school?" Renee gasped. She cupped Bella's face in her hands and looked at her intently. "I wish you had told me you were feeling that bad, baby."

"Mom, I think you've got things confused..." Bella began.

"Is everything alright in here?" Jacob startled them both with his sudden appearance.

"Wow, you can move silently for such a built guy." Renee put her hand over her palpitating heart.

"Sorry." Jacob apologised. He shrugged helplessly when Bella rolled her eyes at him. He was so used to not making any noise when he moved that he had forgotten to make his presence known. He took a moment to look around the kitchen and his eyes widened before meeting Bella's knowing gaze. Charlie was going to lose it when he saw the state of the place. "I suppose you could always blame me." He offered.

"Aww...you are such a sweetheart but I can't let you take the blame." Renee gushed as she stood and reached up to pinch his cheeks as if he was a five year old. "He's too cute, baby. Isn't he cute?" She turned to look at her daughter.

"Yeah, very cute." Bella drawled sarcastically. "We need to find a way to break the news to dad that the kitchen needs to be redecorated...again."

"Don't you worry about Charlie, baby. I'm in his good books at the moment. I'll smooth things over." Renee patted Bella's hand reassuringly. "He can be a grumpy bear sometimes, but I can handle him."

Bella groaned in disbelief. Renee could be so clueless at times. There was no way Charlie was just going to roll over and accept this, especially after forking out all that money on the prank chair and the new recliner taking pride of place in the lounge. She had planned to fess up to her father today about the prank they had played on him, and that the original recliner he had purchased was still sitting in Sam Uley's back yard. But after this latest disaster there was no way she could tell Charlie now. That would definitely push him over the edge.

* * *

The first suitcase sailed out of the window and onto the front drive. It was soon followed by a second. Bella and Jacob winced at the sound of raised vices coming from inside. Despite Renee's confidence that she could handle Chief Krabbs at his worst, things had gone south as soon as he saw the wrecked kitchen and calculated how much it was going to cost him to put it right. A third suitcase hung precariously out of the window as Charlie tried to push it outside with the others and Renee wrestled with him to pull it back inside.

"Should we go up there and intervene?" Jacob whispered to Bella. The olds antics were beginning to attract an audience. The locals were coming out of their houses and looking at the Swan house with interest. It was well known that the police chief lived there. A few pulled out their cell phones and began to take pictures.

"No, leave them to it." Bella said irritably. She was so embarrassed by her parents theatrics. They were unbelievable, acting like squabbling children. "Come on, I'll shout you dinner at the diner."

"Are you sure?" Jacob checked as he walked beside her in the direction of the diner. "I mean I don't mind going in there to try and talk them down."

Bella's face was grim. She shook her head. "No, let them be. If they want to air their drama so all of Forks can see then that's their problem."

Jacob could tell Bella was hurt. He wondered if it brought back painful memories of her parents split. She had been very young when it happened, but it still must have an effect on her. He put his arm around her slim shoulders and drew her protectively into his side. "It's gonna be alright, Bells. I promise."

* * *

"You are going over the top, Charlie." Renee yelled at him as she managed to rescue one of her suitcases. Her clothes littered the bed where he had pulled them out of the wardrobe.

"Over the top?" Charlie ranted. He stopped momentarily to glare at his ex-wife. "I have only just started. You cause chaos wherever you go, Ren. I have had enough."

"It's just cosmetic damage." Renee's eyes filled with tears. "It can be fixed."

"This is more than that." Charlie snapped. "I work damn hard to keep this place presentable and to put food on the table and give our daughter a home. Hell, I'm even still paying alimony to you even though you have remarried now. You are Bella's mom and I know that boy you married doesn't earn enough to keep you. So I continue to pay, for our daughter's sake, not yours. Then you come in here uninvited and turn my house upside down in the process as well as my life." Charlie began to stuff Renee's belongings into one of the empty suitcases. "I've been very tolerant since you rocked up here but now I've reached my limit. Go home to your husband, Ren. Just go h..." He stopped talking when he came across some familiar looking papers amongst his ex-wife's personal items. He stared at them in disbelief, before glancing at her red face. "These are divorce papers."

Renee's lower lip wobbled as she stared at the crumpled paperwork in Charlie's hands. "So now you know." She gasped painfully.

"Shit...so now I know." Charlie's anger dissipated as he sank onto his bed and stared at the paperwork again. "Phil's divorcing you."

* * *

Renee had gone to bed early. She was too upset to face anyone. Charlie had silently rescued her suitcases from the front drive and brought them back inside. He was now sitting at the kitchen table with Bella and Jacob, filling them in on what had happened. "Phil has met someone closer to his own age. It came out of the blue according to your mother. He just came in one day and presented her with the divorce papers and told her that he was leaving."

"Oh my god." Bella was totally shocked. She had always liked Phil despite the age gap between him and Renee. She couldn't believe that her young stepfather could be so cold. He had always seemed besotted with her mother. "Mom must be devastated. Why didn't she say anything?"

"She was too upset and embarrassed. I got the sense she's been living in denial since it happened." Charlie ran his fingers through his hair restlessly. "I've got to say, kiddo, I'm out of my depth here and don't know what to do."

"Thanks for letting her stay, dad." Bella felt her eyes filling with tears. She didn't know how she was feeling. Part of her couldn't help but be resentful that Renee hadn't come to see her like she had thought, but the other more rational part was full of sorrow for her mother's pain.

"What could I do?" Charlie shrugged. "She's lost everything. She has no money and nowhere else to go."

Bella licked her lips to moisten them. Everything was a mess. She felt Jacob's hand reach for hers under the table. He curled his fingers around hers and held on tight. Bella turned to face him and tried to put on a brave smile. She was so grateful that he was there. She knew she would have felt much more overwhelmed without his solid presence beside her.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Bella felt exposed without Edward at school. It was an odd feeling. She was so used to his constant presence that it was weird walking the halls alone as she drifted from class to class. At first her old group of friends kept their distance. It seemed that they were assessing whether to approach her or not, probably expecting Edward to skulk out of the shadows if they attempted to talk to her. But during lunch when he didn't appear they called Bella over to their table as she passed them carrying her tray of food. Ben and Mike made space for her to sit between them. Angela offered her a shy smile of encouragement. Even Jessica made the effort to be polite to her. It had been so long since she had been able to converse with them that initially Bella was shy and hesitant to engage with them, but after a while she began to relax and let down her guard.

By the end of the day Bella was feeling more cheerful. She walked out of school accompanied by Ben and Angela. The latter had invited her for a sleepover and Bella was eager to go. She had always loved Angela's company. Angela never put any pressure on her or pried into her private life, but she was always willing to listen and give advice if she was asked. Bella left them by Ben's car as she promised Angela that she would call her later. Waving goodbye to them, Bella headed for her own truck which was parked near the edge of the parking lot. She dug into her bag to retrieve her keys, not at first aware that someone was waiting for her in the shadows. It was only when he called her name that she realised.

"Edward." Bella halted, swallowing thickly as he revealed himself. His eyes lit up when he saw her and this only compounded Bella's guilt about pushing him away so much and for Renee's mistaken assumption that he had been stalking her at school. She still hadn't had a chance to put her mother right as Renee hadn't been very communicative since they'd all found out about the divorce. "Hey." She said lamely as she greeted him.

"It's so good to see you." Edward smiled crookedly at her. He was dressed soberly in a pair of dark jeans and a blue shirt. HIs hair was mussed up as if he had been running his fingers through it. "I've missed you, Bella. Can we talk?"

Was Edward nervous? He was sure acting like it. He didn't seem confident at all. Bella was struck by this change in his demeanour. "We can talk for a while but I do have to get back to see mom."

"Of course." Edward said solicitously. He ran his fingers through his thick bronze coloured hair and stepped aside so Bella could open her truck. He made no effort to touch her but instead put substantial space between them.

Bella was bemused by his actions. He was acting weird. She climbed into her truck and after a small pause Edward followed. They sat on the bench seat, inches of space between them, looking out at the now empty parking lot. It was so quiet in the cab of the truck that she could hear the sound of her own breathing and it was freaking her out. She glanced at Edward and then hurriedly looked away when he tried to hold her gaze.

"I feel like you're slipping away from me." He whispered forlornly.

Bella clasped her hands in her lap and focused her attention on them. She couldn't deny the truth of his words. "Things are changing." She replied softly. She still couldn't look at him. "Actually they were changing before you came back to Forks."

"This has to do with Jacob Black." Edward said with difficulty. He was doing little to hide the devastation in his voice. "You've developed feelings for him."

"Actually this has to do with me." Bella corrected him. Her throat tightened as she ran her thumb across the scar on her left wrist. "But yes...I do have feelings for Jake."

"Beyond friendship?" Edward pressed her.

Bella's breath hitched as she dared to glance at him again. Edward was sitting stiffly in his seat, staring rigidly ahead. His whole body was taut with tension. "I haven't examined my feelings too closely. So much has been going on in my life the last few weeks."

"Things you felt unable to discuss with me but you could with him." Edward added bitterly. He ran his fingers through his hair again. "I don't know what to do, Bella. I spoke to Alice, she can't see into your future properly. It's all hazy. With Black living in the house its blocking her visions. She advised me to give you some space. I've tried. I've stayed away at night. But it's hard. I miss you so much." His voice cracked with pain and he pinched the bridge of his nose to contain his emotions.

"I'm sorry." Bella hated that she was hurting him. But she was hurting too. This was a conversation she had never envisioned having. Not with him. For so long he had been the foremost thing in her mind. He had been her everything. She had pined for him for so long after he had first abandoned her, she had spent months wasting her life, feeling numb just waiting and praying that he would come back to her. She had gotten so used to living in the dark, that when Jacob appeared in her life again, the sun had almost burnt her as she struggled to cope with the light. But slowly, like a flower blossoming under the gentle rays of the sun, she had bloomed, managing to rise above her despair and live again. "I tried to make it work when you came back. I tried to be that girl again. I wanted to recapture those feelings that I had for you. But...they're gone, Edward. And as much as I try to get them back I can't."

"I was so afraid of this." Edward whispered brokenly. "Alice sensed it. She warned me to tread carefully. She told me that the more I tried to hold on to you, the harder you would try to break free. I wouldn't listen. And now I'm losing you anyway."

Bella felt tears well in her eyes. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't reach out to comfort him. That wasn't her place anymore. It would send the wrong signals. He had to work through his unhappiness like she had been forced to do when he had left her. "There's no going back, Edward. I'm sorry." She said it with an air of finality that couldn't be denied. "You should go."

There was a slight creak as Edward pushed open the passenger door. He jumped gracefully onto the tarmac and paused as he gazed up at Bella. She looked back at him. The weak sun blazed in his hair, turning it to burnished gold. His eyes were heavy with sadness. He looked like an angel. His Adonis like features set in a permanent state of sorrow. "I will love you forever." He promised her. "When you need me again I'll be right here."

Bella's head fell forward as she choked on her tears. She heard him close the heavy iron door shut, effectively sealing her inside the safe cocoon of her truck. Bella cried. She rested her forehead against the steering wheel, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white with the strain. She wept, grieving for her first love, letting the tears wash away her guilt for ending it. It was done. Her torment would pass, but for this short while Bella Swan allowed herself to suffer the pain of heartbreak, knowing that she would only come out stronger on the other side.

* * *

Jacob knew something was different. He took note of Bella's reddened eyes. She had been crying. He tried to read her expression. She didn't seem upset anymore, she was more tired. She didn't speak much during dinner. Jacob had ordered a pizza. The kitchen was still out of action and would be for a while. Everyone ate in relative silence. Renee and Charlie spoke to each other tersely. Jacob wondered how much longer this pressure cooker of emotion could continue without exploding. Maybe it was the tension between her parents that had made Bella cry. Jacob longed to ask but he didn't. He knew Bella would tell him in her own good time.

* * *

"I wanted to come and see you, baby." Renee revealed to Bella a little while later. "I really did. But I kept putting it off. I knew something was up with Phil, but I tried living in denial. It didn't do me any good in the end. He left me anyway."

"Maybe he wasn't right for you." Bella suggested hesitantly. "Sometimes we can fall in love so hard that we don't see that the other person is all wrong for us."

Renee smiled sadly as she reached out and stroked a lock of Bella's hair behind her ear. "That sounds very philosophical, baby."

"I'm speaking from experience." Bella continued seriously. "Sometimes we're bind to the other persons faults because we want to believe so badly that they are the one."

"You're young to be so cynical." Renee was full of regret. "I set a bad example for you, baby. I'm sorry for that. But you are stronger than me and most definitely wiser. You don't need to be defined by any man."

"You misunderstand me." Bella caught her mother's hand and held it between her own. "I'm not giving up on love. Far from it."

"Jacob is a good boy. He treats you right and utterly adores you." Renee smiled wistfully. "I wish I could have had that."

"Mom, you just told me that I don't need to be defined by any man. Why don't you take your own advice? Why not try being on your own for a while. You have so much potential. Don't waste your time grieving for something that wasn't meant to be. You've done your crying, now move on without regret." Bella said earnestly.

"Where did my little girl go?" Renee blinked rapidly to stem the tide of her tears. "You're all grown up." She paused, sighing. "Maybe it's time I did the same."

* * *

Bella found Jacob sitting on the back porch staring up at the moon. He turned when she settled beside him. "I've just been talking to mom. I guess you heard."

"Sorry." Jacob touched his ear and smiled apologetically. "Wolf hearing."

Bella returned his smile briefly before her expression turned serious. "There's something you should know." She took a deep breath as Jacob looked at her curiously. "I ended it with Edward today."

Jacob gasped. He hadn't been expecting that. A thousand butterflies took flight in his stomach and his heart began to race. He opened his mouth to speak but Bella placed her fingers over his lips to quieten him. "Don't say anything. Not yet." She traced the curve of his pout with the pads of her fingers. "I just want you to know that I'm thinking, Jake. Please just give me some time."

Jacob nodded in understanding. He did as she asked and swallowed down his declaration of love. Bella whispered her thanks as she rose to her feet and headed back inside the house.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Sixteen**

"I'm being discharged tomorrow morning." Billy confided to Charlie the next day.

"Well that's good." Charlie smiled, the tension easing from his face at this bit of good news. He was finding it difficult sharing a house with his ex-wife again. Some of their old issues were resurfacing, which was ridiculous as they weren't even married anymore. It seemed old hurts never died. "I bet you'll be pleased to get home."

Billy cleared his throat awkwardly and fiddled with his bed sheet. "It's not quite as simple as that, chief." He sighed. "I'm still gonna need a carer. They say Jake is too young being a minor, even though he's been doing it for years without complaint." Billy couldn't hide the guilt in his voice as he continued talking. "They're talking about finding me a place in a rest home for a few weeks until I'm back at full strength."

"Wow." Charlie rubbed a hand over his face at the enormity of what Billy was saying. The cost would be immense. "Will your insurance even cover it?"

"Doubt it." Billy said dubiously. "I don't know what to do. Sue has offered me a room in her house but I don't feel comfortable staying there. She's still grieving and there's too many reminders of Harry."

Charlie nodded gravely. He understood Billy's hesitation. There was a Harry shaped hole in all of their lives. "Well then you'll just have to come and stay with me."

Billy's eyes opened wide in surprise. "But your house is already overcrowded with Renee staying there."

"We'll make room." Charlie scowled at the mention of his ex-wife. He was still annoyed that she had taken over the whole house, including his bedroom. "We can covert the lounge temporarily. You and Jake can share. Ren will share with Bella. Bells won't mind."

"I can't ask you to do that, chief." Billy became very emotional. He wiped a hand across his eyes and sniffed. "You've already done enough for my boy as it is."

"You didn't ask I offered." Charlie's face relaxed again. "You would do the same for me."

Billy knew it wasn't quite the same. The tense feeling in his stomach began to loosen now that Charlie had offered the perfect solution to his troubles. "I'll never forget this, chief. Thank you."

Charlie just nodded in response as his throat tightened. He was suddenly feeling as emotionally overwhelmed as Billy.

* * *

"But there is no room." Renee was incredulous. "You can't be serious, Charlie."

"I am very serious." Charlie threw the cruisers keys on the kitchen table and shrugged off his jacket. "Billy is my oldest friend and I'm not going to let him down just because of lack of space."

"Is this your way of pushing me out?" Renee said quietly. Panic began to flutter in her chest at the prospect of being made homeless again. She had no money and no way to support herself. She had been relying on Charlie's charity until she figured out her next move.

"For goodness sake, Ren. You always did have a low opinion of me." Charlie snapped at her. "I've always supported you financially, even when I didn't have to. And still you stand there looking at me like some kind of ogre."

Renee was shocked by his outburst. She breathed in sharply, shaking a little at the resentment in his tone. "I never thought of you like that. I..."

"Enough." Charlie held up his hand as if warding her away. "I'm tired of going over old ground. This is how it's gonna work. I want all of your stuff out of my room. You can share with Bells for the time being. I'm converting the lounge into a temporary room for Billy and Jake. I'll be sleeping in my own bedroom. You can start earning your keep by helping to look out for Billy during the day while I'm at work and Jake and Bells are in school."

Renee stared at him for a long moment. She had never seen this forceful side to Charlie when they were married or even afterwards when she had left him, taking his precious daughter with her. Instead of trying to argue with him and wheedle her way out of her new responsibilities, Renee found herself agreeing to his terms instead.

* * *

"You must be excited that your dad is well enough to leave the hospital." Bella enthused as she studied Jacob's face. He was acting very subdued and she was puzzled. "Is something wrong?"

Jacob shrugged. He wasn't his usual sunny self and he couldn't even explain why. He was thrilled that Billy was getting out. He was touched and grateful that Charlie was offering them both sanctuary. But underneath that he felt burdened again. He had spent most of his childhood caring for Billy's needs. It had never been an obligation, Jacob loved his father fiercely. But over the last few weeks living under Charlie's roof he had been on the flip side of the coin. For the first time he had others taking care of him and it felt good. He didn't want to lose that. Jacob knew he was being selfish and he was ashamed.

"Jake, you can talk to me you know." Bella urged him gently. She touched his face lightly with her fingers, letting them linger on his hot cheek. Since breaking up with Edward, she felt more emboldened and wasn't shy with showing her affection for Jacob anymore. "The worst thing you can do is internalise your feelings. It never works, trust me."

"I know." Jacob conceded. He drew in a deep breath, shaking slightly as he captured her sincere gaze and held it. "I'm just feeling overwhelmed I guess."

"Of course you are." Bella smiled at him, brushing her fingers across his cheek again in understanding. "While Billy has been in hospital it kinda gave you a break from the routine. There is nothing wrong with feeling anxious about having to care for your dad again. But I promise you that you are not alone in this. We're all here to help, okay." She caught his hand and laced her fingers with his.

Jacob gulped, swallowing thickly as he tried to contain the urge to sweep Bella off her feet and into his arms. He was doing his best to be patient. She had asked him for time and he would give her that. He would wait forever if that's what she wanted. It always surprised him how intuitive she was when it came to understanding him. Even his brothers who had access to his thoughts had no idea how out of his depth he was feeling. It was like Bella could read his mind. "Thank you, Bells." He said huskily.

"I'm always here for you, Jake." Bella said earnestly. "I promise."

* * *

After all the fuss he had made over his recliner, Bella was surprised how at ease Charlie was when Jacob took it out of the house and loaded it in the back of her old Chevy truck. They were putting some of the furniture in storage for a while as they made the lounge wheelchair friendly for Billy's arrival. It seemed his friend's crisis had made Charlie rethink his spendthrift ways. At least for now. The preparations were in full swing. Bella was surprised to see her mother getting involved too. Renee had a scarf wrapped around her head and a determined expression on her face as she floated around the room with a feather duster in her hand. True, she wasn't actually dusting anything, but at least she looked like she was making an effort.

"We'll move the sofa over to this side of the room." Charlie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That will give Billy more space to manoeuvre his chair around easily."

Jacob followed Charlie's directions. He pushed the sofa over to the other side. He had already knocked up a temporary ramp to the front porch giving Billy easier access to the front door. He glanced over at Bella and was rewarded with a tender smile. He felt his skin heat up and he had to duck his head. He was blushing like a little girl. Jacob shook his head to clear it. Charlie was barking orders at him again and he needed to concentrate. But it was hard when he kept catching glimpses of Bella's beautiful face smiling in his direction as she helped to clear the room.

* * *

"I'm pooped, baby." Renee used a paper towel to dab at her skin. "Your dad is like a drill sergeant when he gets a bee in his bonnet."

"He's worried about Billy. He always gets like this when he's stressed." Bella pointed out mildly. She looked around her bedroom in despair. It seemed to have shrunk since her mother had moved her belongings in. It was hard to wonder why Renee needed so much crap. Bella's fingers were itching to get stuck in and start to spring clean.

Renee dabbed at her forehead again. Wisps of her hair had escaped the scarf and floated around her small face, making her look suddenly childish. "I know this is an upheaval for you, baby. My moving in here means that Jacob can't sleep in your room anymore. I'm sorry for that."

Bella rolled her eyes at this statement. She had tried explaining to Renee the nature of her relationship with Jacob Black, but Renee had worn a disbelieving expression, refusing to listen to reason. "I'm sure Jake will cope." She drawled sardonically.

Her daughter's sarcasm went right over Renee's head. "But will you?" Renee pressed. "It will be difficult not having his hot body lying next to yours all night." She sighed theatrically. "Charlie should have let me stay in his room and he could have shared the lounge with Billy. Then Jake would still bunk in with you. He's being very unreasonable about the whole thing."

"Oh, mom, do you ever listen to yourself?" Bella questioned irritably. She rested the washing basket against her hip and began to gather up Renee's dirty clothes so she could throw them in the laundry. She sighed again at the mess in her room. Renee's clothes were strewn everywhere. "Do you think you can tidy up a bit so we can actually move around a bit in here."

"You sound just like your father, baby." Renee whined. "You know I've never been domesticated."

"So what? You can still fold clothes can't you." Bella's eyes flashed with anger. "You promised me that things were gonna change, mom. Show me that for once that you can keep that promise."

"Baby..." Renee breathed as she watched Bella flounce out of the room. She sank onto the bed and put her head in her hands, crying quietly.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this crazy story!**_

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Charlie hadn't been lying when he told Billy that things between him and his ex-wife were tense. The atmosphere was very frosty at the breakfast table. He felt sorry for poor Bella, who was once again caught in the middle of her parents inability to see eye to eye. He noticed that Jacob was holding Bella's hand under the table as he offered her his silent support. Billy caught his son's gaze and Jacob flushed at the meaningful look he shot him.

"I should be home early tonight." Charlie said directly to Billy as he scraped his chair back and stood up.

"That's new." Renee muttered sourly. "When we were married you could never seem to tear yourself away from work."

Charlie scowled. "I was working overtime to support you and Bells and keep a damn roof over our head."

"Don't fight." Bella begged. She let go of Jacob's hand and stood up, gazing at her parents anxiously.

Charlie's expression softened when he heard the distress in Bella's voice. He smiled, but it was forced. "Everything's alright, kiddo. Your mom and I are just having a difference of opinion."

Billy had to refrain from rolling his eyes at the statement. He watched as Renee pursed her lips before issuing a glare in Charlie's direction. She didn't protest though but instead began to clear the up the breakfast dishes. Billy sighed, he wasn't looking forward to spending the day with Renee acting as his reluctant nurse. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to her. They had never been close in the past, Billy hadn't hidden the fact that he thought Charlie was making a huge mistake in marrying such a flighty woman. And Renee knew this. The whole situation was very awkward, but in the circumstances he was just going to have to suck it up and get on with it.

"I'll see you later, Billy." Charlie said again, breaking him out of his thoughts. Billy nodded and managed a small smile in response. Charlie was jiggling his keys in his hands. "C'mon on you two." He said to Jacob and Bella. "I'll give you a lift to school."

Billy noticed his son's resigned expression. He knew it was tiring keeping up the pretence to Charlie that he was still actually attending the tribal school. Something was going to have to be done about the pack's education. There was no way they could attend regular lessons now, not with their insane patrol schedule. There had to be another way to go about it, something which would fit in with their busy lives. Billy had been pondering this dilemma all the time he was in hospital. He had come up with a solution and just needed to pitch it to the tribal council and get their support.

"I'll see you later, son." Billy shot Jacob another meaningful look before he left with Charlie and Bella. He grimaced when the door closed behind them. It was now just him and Renee. She was standing with her back to him washing dishes at the sink. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Can I help?" He offered.

Renee twisted her head around and glanced at him. "Yes, that would be good." She stepped aside to give Billy room. He rolled his chair over and parked it beside her. "Well while you do the dishes I'll go and have a shower." She ran her fingers through her soft layers. "I'll leave you to it." She then bounced out of the room and left Billy to finish the chore alone.

"Unbelievable." He muttered, not at all surprised.

* * *

It was lunchtime and for once the sun was shining. Bella was relieved as it meant that none of the Cullens would be able to attend school so she wouldn't cross paths with them. It was also nice to feel the warmth on her skin. The sun reminded her of Jacob and that put her in a good mood. She walked out of the school and followed the other students as they headed straight for the picnic tables carrying their lunches. Bella sank down next to Angela. They exchanged smiles before beginning to eat their salads. Mike Newton and Ben joined them, soon followed by Jessica Stanley.

"Missing Edward?" Jessica said slyly after a few moments.

Bella nearly choked on her salad. Suddenly everyone was looking at her intently. She could have killed Jess. She saw Angela flash her a sympathetic smile and she calmed down. Jess wanted to ruffle her feathers but she wouldn't let her get under her skin. "Actually no." Bella said as calmly as she could. "In fact you might as well know that Edward and I have broken up."

"Again?" Jessica sneered in disbelief.

"For good this time." Bella held her ground and stared at Jessica until the other girl had the grace to blush.

"Humpf...well sorry to hear that." Jessica mumbled in defeat.

"Is this true?" Mike's baby blue eyes were shining eagerly at this unexpected piece of good news. "So that means you're available again, right?"

"Good one, Newton." Ben laughed at the comical expression on Bella's face in response to Mike's question. He hit his friend on the shoulder. "You can be such a dick."

"Hey!" Mike laughed dully, suddenly realising what an idiot he had made of himself. "I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean it like that."

"Right." Bella's heart sank as she realised that this meant that she would be fighting off Mike's inexplicable crush on her yet again. Well he was the least of her problems. She had enough going on at home. As she resumed eating a text came through on her cell. Bella checked it, smiling when she saw the message was from Jacob.

 _"Hey honey, just checking in. Hope you're having a good day."_

This was followed by a smiling heart emoji. He was so sweet. Bella felt her heart melt as she fired off a quick response.

 _"Just told my friends about Edward. It was awkward but I feel better for making it official. Unfortunately it seems to have reignited Mike's interest. Any tips on how to handle him?"_

Seconds later her cell phone buzzed with Jacob's reply.

 _"Buy him a bag of marshmallows. That might remind him of our infamous trip to the cinema. Watch his face turn green at the memory."_

Bella snorted with laughter at the image this projected in her mind. The others looked at her curiously. When she raised her eyes to Mike's she began to laugh all over again. He stared at her in confusion.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"Nothing." Bella forced herself to regain control. "I'm fine."

"Okay." Mike didn't seem convinced but he didn't press her for any more details for which Bella was truly grateful.

* * *

Billy spent the majority of his first full day in the Swan house clearing up after Renee downstairs. She left chaos in her wake wherever she went. If the lounge and kitchen were in a state he shuddered at the thought of what the bathroom was like. There was no way he could get up the stairs to check anyway. Renee was currently sunning herself on the back porch. Billy was grateful she had gone outside. It gave him plenty of opportunity to tidy the rooms and put them in some sort of order before the chief came home and exploded at the mess. Billy was beginning to think that Bella must spend a lot of her free time clearing up after her mother before Charlie got home to see it. He was supposed to have been resting and moving around so much was tiring, but he was determined that the chief was not going to come home to a messy house. It was the least he could do.

* * *

Bella got a lift home with Angela. She was grateful for the ride. She had a free period and instead of using it to study, she took the opportunity to get home early so she could check on how her mother was getting on with looking after Billy. After the tense standoff between her parents that morning she was desperate to avoid another one. When she went inside the house she was pleasantly surprised to find it looking clean and tidy. She could smell polish and assumed Renee must have been cleaning. It lightened her heart to think that her mother was making a special effort to make good on her promise to Charlie. Bella wandered out of the kitchen and went into the lounge, expecting to see her mother but she found only Billy. He was sitting in his chair, snoozing. Bella backed out, not wanting to disturb him. He needed as much rest as possible.

"Where are you mom?" Bella wondered aloud as she checked up stairs. She winced when she walked into her room and found it was still in a mess. Renee's makeup and clothes were strewn everywhere. It seemed her mom had only managed to keep the downstairs clean. Well that was a start. Bella checked the bathroom. Wet towels were flung carelessly on the floor. She sighed, picking them up and hanging them on the rail. "Well you're not up here." Bella put her hands on her hips and frowned. Surely Renee hadn't gone out and left Billy alone.

As she came down the stairs she found Jacob letting himself into the house. She was glad to see him. A bright smile lit up her face and she found herself running to greet him, planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek in her enthusiasm. Jacob wasn't used to her being so affectionate. He couldn't stop grinning as he hugged her in return, even daring to press his lips to her forehead in exchange for her kiss on his cheek. Before he could speak Bella had taken his hand and was leading him back into the kitchen. She put her finger to her lips, gesturing for him to keep his voice down so they didn't disturb Billy.

"Mom's not here." Bella whispered anxiously. "Dad will go mad if he finds out that she left yours to fend for himself." Her cheeks flushed with shame. "I am so sorry, Jake. I feel responsible. I know what my mom can be like..."

"Chill, Bells." Jacob interrupted her. He had spotted something she hadn't. "Your mom is on the back porch. She must have decided to do a spot of sunbathing while dad was resting." He smiled, putting his hands on her shoulders in reassurance. "It's all good. You were right to have faith."

"Oh." Bella breathed a sigh of relief. She felt guilty for doubting her mom. "I didn't think to check outside. I'm such a dork."

"Maybe...but you're a cute dork." Jacob teased her lightly. He swore he could still feel the sensation of Bella's lips kissing his cheek. His skin was tingling in the exact spot.

"Charmer." Bella elbowed him playfully as she blushed at his compliment. She giggled nervously, while at the same time wondering why she was feeling so shy suddenly. It was just Jake. "I'm gonna start dinner early." She said to distract herself from the odd feelings floating between her and Jacob. She saw him smile as if knowing exactly what she was up to, but Bella pretended to ignore him and hurriedly went to the stove to put some space between them.

* * *

"You okay there, Billy." Charlie quickly took Billy's mug from him before he dropped it. He noticed his friend's ashen face and he became concerned. "You did take your meds on time today, right? And Renee made sure to make you those small meals like the docs suggested."

Billy nodded quickly. He had taken his meds but Renee hadn't made him anything to eat all day. And because he had spent so many hours clearing up after her he had forgotten to make some snacks for himself. He was grateful for the filling dinner Bella had made for everyone. "I'm fine, chief. Honestly."

Charlie wasn't convinced. He didn't press Billy any further though. He could see his friend was tired. "Alright, Billy. Just don't overexert yourself."

"Noted." Billy saluted him, trying to inject some lightness in his tone.

"Idiot." Charlie snickered.

It had worked. Billy breathed a sigh of relief. He really didn't want to cause any trouble. He was still holding onto hope that Renee would step up and keep her end of the bargain because he was certain he couldn't endure another exhausting day like this one. He just wasn't strong enough.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all character and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Mike was everywhere. It was very disconcerting. She would be in the library and suddenly bump into Newton as he appeared from behind a bookcase. She would be in the canteen and he would be right behind her, looking over her shoulder. She would be walking the halls and he would suddenly appear like magic out of one of the classrooms. He was popping up in all sorts of random places. Bella was beginning to get a complex.

"He never actually asks me for a date." She complained to Jacob. "But he's always in my face giving me that puppy dog grin of his. I keep waiting for him to grow a tail and wag it at me."

"Tails can come in very useful." Jacob teased her gently. "Especially to teach Lahote a lesson when he's being an ass. It droops constantly now because so many of us have bitten down on it when he's acted the fool."

Bella snorted with laughter at the image this projected in her mind. Paul had a reputation for getting under his brothers skins. She would love to get a peek at his drooping tail. "You always know how to make me feel better." She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Glad I can help." Jacob felt a small glow inside him at her praise. She was expressing more and more how important he was in her life and he loved hearing the confirmation. "Do you want me to have a quiet word with Newton. I don't mind." He offered, smiling slyly as he flexed his muscles.

"That's tempting." Bella mused. "But no. I can handle Mike."

"Okay, if you're sure." Jacob shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're so sweet." Bella raised her head and leaned forward to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek. It was the second time her lips had come in close contact with his skin in a matter of days. Jacob didn't hide his grin as he slipped a very friendly arm over Bella's shoulders and dropped a kiss on top of her hair. Things were definitely changing between them he could feel it.

* * *

"Do you mind if I turn this over? The Ellen Show is about to start." Renee's question was purely rhetorical as she switched channels without waiting for Billy's reply. She flopped onto the sofa and kicked off her dirty shoes.

Billy looked mournfully at the dirt on the carpet and clenched his jaw. He had just finished tidying up in the lounge and already Renee was creating mess again. He bit down on his retort and wheeled his chair forward so he could pick up her abandoned shoes.

"You're a dear." Renee smiled sweetly. "Just chuck them in the hall for me. Thanks." She waved her hand casually as if dismissing him before returning her attention to the flat screen.

"I know where I would like to chuck them." Billy said in his head as he manoeuvred his chair around and left the room. He was full of frustration and wasn't sure he could carry on like this for much longer. He was finding Renee's company exhausting. Instead of her looking after him, he was looking after her. He was supposed to be recuperating but she was making it nigh on impossible to relax. Billy was beginning to think that he was going to have to accept Sue's offer and move in with the Clearwater's for a while, but that would mean having to tell Charlie all about Renee and he didn't think he had the will to upset the apple cart. Because apart from the Renee problem, Billy was actually enjoying living at the Swan's. It was fun relaxing in the evening with his friend, sharing banter while they drank their beer and watched the latest sports show. It was often lonely in his own house. Jacob was away a lot patrolling and normally Billy was left on his own for hours at a time. But unless something changed regarding Renee, Billy knew he may be forced to leave.

* * *

"Can I carry those for you?" Mike appeared by her side so suddenly that Bella ended up dropping the books he had just offered to carry. They scattered across the floor, causing the other students to snicker in amusement as they passed her in the hall.

Bella's face burned as she ducked down and began to pick them up. Mike bent down to help her. "I don't need your help." She snapped at him irritably. She winced as a hurt look crossed his face. She felt like she had just kicked a puppy. "But thank you anyway." She added as an afterthought.

Mike's face brightened immediately. "Anytime." He said eagerly, smiling as he passed her the last book and helped her to rise. "I'm always here for you, Bella."

"Yes, you're definitely always there." Bella conceded through gritted teeth.

Mike's smile widened. He completely missed the sarcasm in her tone. "You know we could become study partners. Exams are coming up soon. It would be good to revise together. I could come over tonight." He looked at her expectantly.

Bella froze as she tried to think of an excuse to put him off. She was beginning to rethink Jacob's offer to give Mike the hint that his attentions were unwanted. He certainly wasn't picking up on her less than subtle ones. "Um...um...well..."

"That's great." Mike beamed. "I'll be over at six. See you later, Bella." Mike suddenly disappeared into the crowd before Bella had a chance to respond.

"Oh, hell." She said, shaking her head in disbelief.

* * *

Charlie came home early. There was a big Mariner's game on that night and he had been looking forward to watching it for ages. It was going to be even better because he was going to be able to share the experience with his best friend by his side. It was one of the major games of the season, Charlie had worried that Billy might still be in the hospital when it came on so wouldn't have been able to enjoy watching it with him, but thankfully he had been discharged in time. Charlie had everything planned. He had stocked up on beer and some snacks. The one thing he hadn't managed to sort out was ejecting Renee from the house for the duration of the game. He knew his ex hated sports and he didn't want her hovering around getting in the way so he had left the station earlier than normal so he could have a quiet word with her and persuade Renee to give him and Billy some space.

What he wasn't prepared for was to find the Newton kid on his front porch, dressed up in a suit and carefully adjusting his tie as if getting ready for a formal interview. The boy's hair was greased back with some revolting gel and was that aftershave? The smell hit him in the face as soon as he climbed out of his cruiser.

"Chief Swan." Mike greeted him as soon as he spotted Charlie. "I went to the station to see you but they told me you had already left so I drove straight here."

"Well you must have been speeding then to get here before me." Charlie said suspiciously as he narrowed his eyes. "And why aren't you in school?"

"Oh..um... I have a free period." Mike cleared his throat awkwardly, adjusting his tie again nervously at the same time.

"What do you want?" Charlie was getting exasperated. The boy was acting really weird and that cloying aftershave was giving him a headache. Did the kid pour the whole lot on at once.

Mike shifted uncomfortably under Charlie's steely gaze. He tried to smile but it looked more like a grimace. "Um...I was just...um...what I mean is..."

"Spit it out, boy." Charlie snarled. Jeez, he just wanted to get inside the house and start preparing for the game. "Is it a personal recommendation you're after. Is that it? Are you applying for a job or something? Is that why you're all done up like a dog's dinner and smell like you've been bathing in a vat of perfume or something. 'Cos I gotta tell you, kid. You've overdone it on the aftershave. You'll knock the interviewer out in seconds with that whiff." Charlie continued bluntly as he waved his hand in front of his nose.

Mike's pale face turned red with mortification and his Adams apple bobbed up and down as he desperately tried to recover the situation. "Actually I came here to formally ask you if...if...I could date you..."

"DATE ME?" Charlie exploded before poor Mike had a chance to finish. He put his hands on his hips and glared at him. "Are you taking the proverbial, boy?"

"Proverbial?" Mike sounded like he was being strangled. "I don't understand."

"The piss, boy. Are you taking the piss?" Charlie thundered. He was getting more and more irate.

"No...no, sir. You misunderstand me. I came here to ask if I could date your daughter. I didn't mean you. Not that I mean you are undateable. I am sure you've had many offers. Um...you're a good looking man for your age." Mike babbled frantically. "And you look good in a uniform. Don't all girls like a man in uniform." He tugged at his collar. He was feeling very hot. His skin broke out in a cold sweat as he wilted under the police chief's fierce glare.

"Is that why you are in this get up?" Charlie latched onto the uniform part. He scowled as he studied Newton's sharp suit. "You think that by donning a shirt and tie that it will impress my little girl."

"I was..um...trying to impress you, sir. I wore this for you." Mike spluttered in protest.

"I thought we already established that you weren't here to ask me on a date." Charlie growled.

"No...I...I..."

Jacob arrived just then. Like Charlie he was almost knocked flat from the smell coming off of Newton. His strong aftershave mixed with sweat was too much for Jacob's sensitive nose. It smelled even stronger to him than Charlie. He coughed and his eyes began to stream. "What died?" He asked the glowering police chief.

"It will be this little prick if he doesn't get off my front porch in the next ten seconds." Charlie ranted. "Get rid of him, Jake. I'm not in the mood. I came home early so I could get ready for the big game tonight. Instead I'm confronted with this fool babbling about how good I look in my uniform and wanting a date." He turned and issued one last glare at Newton. "If this was some kind of dare set up by your friends it has backfired on you, boy. I will be calling your parents." He threatened before pushing past Mike and heading inside.

This left Mike alone with Jacob on the front porch. He gulped again as he took in Jacob's towering frame. Jacob had gotten taller and more muscular since the last time he had crossed paths with Newton and Mike was shocked and intimidated by the size of him. "It's you." He squeaked.

"So you remember me then." Jacob flashed him a wolfish grin.

"Yes." Mike's complexion was turning green. He tugged at his collar. "I'm not feeling very well." He announced suddenly.

"Again?" Jacob tried not to laugh as he watched Mike cower away from him. "You seem to get ill a lot. Perhaps you should go home and rest then." He suggested helpfully.

"Yes...I'll go home and rest." Mike mumbled as he edged past Jacob as quickly as possible.

"Good to see you again, Marshmallow." Jacob drawled as Mike passed him. He tried not to cough as he got a another whiff of Newton's cloying aftershave.

"What?" Mike was feeling completely confused. He hadn't lied when he'd told Jacob he wasn't feeling well. His head was spinning. He couldn't understand how everything had gone so wrong. "I don't eat marshmallows." He muttered.

"No, you just act like one." Jacob kept his tone light and friendly, bewildering Mike even more. He clearly didn't get the joke. "I'm heading inside now. Drive carefully." He leaned in, lowering his voice as he offered Mike one last piece of advice. "I'd rethink the aftershave, dude. You could kill someone with that smell. Hell, you're killing me." He pretended to shudder as he backed toward the house and headed inside.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I wonder if Mike will get the hint now...**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Charlie entered the house feeling irritated after his odd encounter with Mike Newton. His irritation increased when he got inside only to hear the television blaring at ear splitting decibels. There was some sort of talk show on, he could hear the audience's laughter, then the host announcing the arrival of another celebrity guest. Charlie knew it wasn't Billy. His friend was not a fan of daytime television. That could only mean one thing...Renee. He charged into the lounge, intent on telling his ex wife to turn the volume down. He didn't understand how Billy was managing to tolerate the loud noise. Charlie found his ex-wife sprawled on the sofa, with a tub of ice cream on her lap. Some of the ice cream had melted and dropped onto the floor. Renee was oblivious. She was laughing along with the televised audience at some banal joke the presenter had made. There was no sign of Billy.

"What the hell, Ren?" Charlie snapped as he grabbed the remote and muted the show.

"You scared me." Renee gasped as she held a hand over her racing heart. His sudden appearance had startled her. She pouted, sitting up and putting the tub of ice cream onto the floor. "I was enjoying that." She continued resentfully.

"I don't give a damn, woman. Where's Billy?" Charlie snapped at her.

Renee seemed stunned by the ferocity in his tone. She gazed up at his scowling face trying to look all wide eyed and innocent. "He's probably in the kitchen. It's no big deal. You are making a huge fuss about nothing."

"You are unbelievable. This is not over." Charlie jabbed a finger in Renee's direction before he raced to the kitchen to check on his friend.

Jacob had already beaten him to it. Charlie found him hunkered down next to his father. Billy was bent over holding his chest. "What's wrong? Billy?" Charlie's anger changed to panic as he knelt down next to Billy's wheelchair.

"Dad just needs some air." Jacob tried to sound soothing. He had seen his dad like this before on countless occasions when he had overexerted himself. What he didn't need was the added pressure of coping with Charlie's meltdown while he was trying to help his father.

"I can't believe this. That damn woman." Charlie cursed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I am so sorry, Billy. I should never have trusted her to look after you."

"Please, Charlie, can't that wait." Jacob pleaded with him. Billy was breathing heavily, clutching his chest. "Dad you need to calm down. You are having a panic attack. That's why your chest feels tight."

Billy's desperate gaze flicked to his son. "I can't breathe." He wheezed.

"You can." Jacob sounded so calm, but inside he was panicking. Like Charlie he was angry with Renee. As soon as he had entered the kitchen he could see that his dad had been in the process of clearing up the mess that she had left behind. Bella had been right to be suspicious of her mother. He wished he hadn't let his willingness to give Renee the benefit of the doubt stop him from letting Bella investigate further. Instead he had allayed her fears and his father had paid the price. "Charlie, can you pass me a paper bag, please." He asked.

"Sure, kid." Charlie had finally managed to pull himself together. He stood up and hunted around the kitchen until he found one. "Here you go, Jake." He passed the bag to Jacob and put a steadying hand on Billy's shoulder. "You're gonna be alright." He said to him. "Just listen to your boy."

Jacob persuaded his father to breathe into the bag. Billy held it to his lips and blew into it steadily. With Jacob and Charlie's encouragement he managed to slow his breathing down to normal levels. The tightness in his chest eased and he finally relaxed enough to speak. "I'm so sorry." He apologised hoarsely. "I felt like my heart was being squeezed in a vice. My chest got tight and I panicked. I really thought I was having a heart attack."

"Why are you apologising?" Charlie scolded him lightly. "If anyone should be saying sorry, it's me. I let you down." He said gruffly. A lump lodged in his throat as he looked into Billy's stricken face. "Ren hasn't been caring for you at all has she."

Billy dropped his gaze to his shaking hands as he nodded his head in confirmation. He just couldn't look at Charlie, he felt too guilty. "I didn't want to cause trouble. I was thinking of Bella..." His voice tailed off and he sighed heavily.

Charlie felt his eyes moisten. Billy was right, this was going to hit his daughter hard. Bella had just begun to have faith in Renee again, and now that faith was going to be shattered. His eyes met Jacob's. Charlie could see that the boy was thinking along the same lines as him. "Jake, perhaps you should swing by Sue's and ask her to check Billy over."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Jacob agreed. He knew it was just a ruse. Charlie wanted some privacy while he dealt with Renee. He heard his father beginning to protest that he was just fine now, but Jacob interrupted him, insisting that he would feel better if they got the all clear from Sue.

"If you think that's best." Billy agreed in resignation as he finally caved in

* * *

"You need to pack your bags and go." Charlie said tonelessly as he confronted Renee. He had waited until Jacob and Billy had left the house. He had given Jacob the keys to the cruiser so he could drive Billy to the Clearwater's.

"What?" Renee's face paled in shock. "Why? Billy is alright now. It was just a panic attack, it was nothing serious."

"And there lies the problem." Charlie couldn't even get roused enough to feel angry. He found he felt nothing at all as he looked at Renee. He just wanted her gone. "You had the television on so loud that you wouldn't have heard if Billy had collapsed or if he had called for help. You were supposed to be caring for him..."

"I did my best." Renee pleaded. Two spots of red coated her cheeks. "I was just taking a break that's all."

"I don't want to hear your lame ass excuses." Charlie continued bitterly. He ran his fingers through his hair restlessly. "I've spent half my life supporting you financially, even when I didn't have to. I did it for Bells' sake. I felt like it was my duty. But today I suddenly realised I don't owe you anything anymore. Bells is grown now. She can make her own decisions about whether she wants you in her life. But as far as I go, I never want to see you again."

"Charlie, please." Renee tried to reach out to him but he gently pushed her away. "I'll do better I will. Don't make me leave. I have nowhere else to go."

Charlie watched the easy tears well in her eyes but he ignored them. It was time to harden his heart as far as she was concerned. He pulled out a wad of notes and chucked them in her direction. "There is two thousand dollars there. That should keep you afloat for a while. But that's it, Ren. You won't be getting anymore from me. Now pack your bags and get out."

"Charlie, please. Don't be like this." Renee cried desperately. She could tell he was serious this time. She had never seen him look so cold and remote. "I'm begging you."

"Just take the damn money. I'm going to meet Bells at school. I'll take her out for dinner. When we get back I expect you to be gone. You can call her when you get settled somewhere." Charlie finished coldly. "Whether she actually wants to speak to you will be up to her."

Ignoring Renee's pleas Charlie turned away from her and stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind him.

* * *

"I don't really feel hungry, dad." Bella said faintly once Charlie told her the news about Renee. There was no way he had been able to sugar coat things. Renee's selfish actions spoke for themselves. "You know I knew. I did. But I convinced myself that she was trying to change."

"We all wanted to believe it." Charlie hated seeing his daughter hurt. He could tell she was already beginning to blame herself for Renee's actions. Just like he had when he had first found out. But the only person at fault was Renee herself. "Bells, this is all on your mom."

"But I knew what she could be like." Bella retorted. She gulped, trying to stem the tide of tears that threatened to spill onto her cheeks. She was so angry at Renee. Disappointment tasted bitter on her tongue as she swallowed down her pain. Already she could feel herself falling into the same trap as before as she tried to think of something, anything to defend Renee's actions. She needed to believe there was some good in her mother, but this time she came up with nothing. Renee was just following the same pattern she had throughout her whole life. She would never change. "Can we go to La Push instead of going to the diner? I'd like to check on Billy and Jake."

"That sounds like a good idea, kiddo." Charlie gave her a rare hug, pressing a soft kiss into her hair as he did so. "I love you, Bells."

"I love you too, dad." Bella didn't bother to hold back her tears anymore. She clung to Charlie as she allowed him to comfort her, glad she had at least one parent she could rely on.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	20. Chapter 20

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twenty**

When Charlie and Bella arrived at the Clearwater's Sue had finished checking Billy over. The good news was his heart sounded okay, but the bad news was his blood sugar levels were dangerously low. "He's hypoglycaemic." She said grimly. "No wonder he felt like he was having a heart attack." Sue put her hands on her hips and frowned at Billy. "You know how dangerous this could have been for you. The only reason the doctors agreed to discharge you was because you agreed to follow the plan they set out for you. Why would you risk your health like this?" She demanded severely.

"Dad?" Jacob was deeply shocked. He had assumed his dad was having a panic attack. The symptoms were similar. The shortness of breath, the tightness in his chest, the tingling in his lips and fingers. He didn't realise it was this serious. "Have you been taking your meds at all?"

"I tried." Billy faltered. He swallowed thickly. He felt tired and drained. "But there just didn't seem enough time in the day. I was trying to make myself some small meals, but..."

"Did that woman not even cook for you?" Sue questioned darkly. "Are you telling me you basically have been trying to cope alone in this state. You are supposed to have rest so you can recuperate."

"This is my fault not Billy's." Charlie interrupted grimly. "This is all on me. I should never have trusted that woman." His jaw was tight as he tried to contain his emotions. He was deeply ashamed of himself. He had offered Billy sanctuary and instead he had almost killed him. "I'm sorry."

"This is no one's fault." Billy protested. He could see the guilt reflected in his son's dark eyes as well as Bella's brown ones. They were all blaming themselves for something beyond their control. "Look, I'm a grown ass man. I should have spoken up."

"But you didn't because you were thinking of me." Bella was on the verge of tears. "I am so sorry."

"Enough of the blame game." Sue snapped irritably. "That doesn't help anything. I think for the foreseeable future Billy should move in with me until his health improves."

Billy was startled by this proclamation and also a little unsure. He felt uncomfortable impinging on Sue's hospitality. Her face was still taut with grief. He was going to be just another burden and he didn't want that. And also he had been enjoying life at the Swan's with his best friend. It was only Renee who had been the dark cloud. "I can't do that to you, Sue. It's not fair."

"It's not about what's fair. It's what is necessary." Sue replied wearily.

"No." Jacob rebutted suddenly. "This is my responsibility. It's time dad and I moved back home. I can take care of him."

"Jake, you can't." Bella gasped. She reached out to him and took his hand. She remembered their talk from a few days before. He was already worn out patrolling and trying to fulfil his other duties. Billy was too sick now to be cared for by him alone. It would break him.

"I'll be fine." Jacob said firmly, even though he was wondering how the hell he was going to cope. Sam was just going to have to ease off on his patrol schedule, but then he was worried about Bella's safety. He stared into her anxious eyes, his own worry shining through at the enormity of the choice he was having to make.

"Billy is not moving anywhere." Charlie interjected. His face was grim as he met everyone's troubled gaze. "I'm gonna take some time off. Hell I'm owed it. I haven't had a vacation in years. I'll stay with Billy." His expression softened as he looked at the best friend he'd ever had.

"I can't ask you to do that, chief." Billy was actually shaking. He felt his eyes moisten and he had to avert his gaze he felt so embarrassed.

"You haven't asked me for anything." Charlie continued gruffly. "Like I said it's a vacation. I need one. I think we both need to be more active. It's been a while since we've been on a fishing trip. I think the fresh air will do us both good. What do you say? Are you in?"

"I'm in." Billy agreed with a grateful smile.

* * *

As it was a nice evening Charlie fired up the Clearwater's barbecue and everyone gathered outside to enjoy the late sunshine. Leah and Seth showed up just as the food was ready. It had been a while since Bella had seen the Clearwater siblings. Since Edward's return she hadn't seen much of the pack. Seth was his usual sweet self. He hugged Bella like an old friend and gave her an adoring smile. It seemed he was still crushing on her a little bit, much to everyone's amusement, as he kept blushing when she glanced in his direction. Leah kept her distance. She spent most of the evening by her mother's side. Bella noted how sad and subdued the she-wolf appeared. She was uncommunicative and barely shared in the conversation. Bella thought at first it was because Leah was annoyed that she was there. The older girl had never been her biggest fan, but as the hours passed she began to wonder whether something else was preoccupying Leah's thoughts.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Jacob asked her softly. He reached out and looped a lock of her hair behind her ear. He let his fingers linger on her cheek for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling his hand away.

"Is Leah okay?" Bella whispered close to his ear. "She seems kinda sad."

Jacob glanced at Leah. Her black bobbed hair was hiding her face. She was bent forward, with her elbows resting on her knees. He could see Sue watching her daughter anxiously. "I'm not really sure." He confided to Bella. "Lee has been keeping her thoughts hidden from us lately. I wish I knew how she did it." He sighed enviously, knowing his mind was an open book to his brothers. All he thought about was Bella, Bella, Bella. The others mostly ignored him now.

"I think I might go and talk to her." Bella decided suddenly. She didn't know why but she felt drawn to the other girl. The old Bella wouldn't have been brave enough to attempt it, but she was feeling more confident than she used to. She assumed it must be extra hard for Leah being surrounded by so much testosterone on a daily basis. Sure she had her mother to confide in, but Sue was grieving for Harry. Bella guessed that Leah was keeping a lot inside so as not to burden her mother.

Jacob gazed at her affectionately as he took her hand. He loved her so damn much it hurt. "Are you sure you want to risk it?" He teased. "You and Leah have never exactly seen eye to eye before."

"If she bites my head off then I know to leave her alone." Bella smiled up at him. His dark eyes were dancing with mirth. He was so handsome, so sweet. His full lips, parted in his usual sunny smile, looked so inviting. She had a sudden urge to kiss him which took her by surprise. Jacob always had the ability to affect her. She had never denied that, but she had never allowed herself to really delve into her attraction toward him. Bella felt the blush blooming on her cheeks and she cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Just tread carefully." Jacob warned her, completely oblivious to the confused thoughts spinning around in Bella's mind. "You know how sharp tongued Lee can be. Don't let her upset you."

"I'm a big girl now. I can take a verbal hit." Bella assured him. She patted his knee before rising to her feet and walking over in Leah's direction. She felt Jacob's eyes on her the whole time and she couldn't stop the smile forming on her lips at the thought of him.

* * *

"What do you want?" Leah said harshly when Bella took Sue's vacated seat next to her. The older woman had headed inside with Charlie to fetch some more drinks.

"I thought it might be nice to catch up." Bella tried to keep her tone light and friendly.

"Are you for real?" Leah questioned in disbelief. Her gaze flicked to Jacob who was now play fighting with Seth. It annoyed her the way her younger brother idolised Jacob so much, and his inexplicable crush on Bella Swan. "Why would I want to talk to you?" She glared at Bella fiercely.

"Because you can." Bella said quietly. She held the she-wolf's steely gaze. "I'm a good listener."

"I heard you broke up with the bloodsucker." Leah turned the conversation around on Bella abruptly. "Are you trying to sink your hooks into Jacob now?" She spat sarcastically. "Only I wouldn't waste your time. He'll imprint and drop your skinny ass and act like you never even existed."

Bella had been expecting Leah to be unfriendly but she had never expected her to be so nasty. She drew in a sharp breath. Jacob had risen to his feet. He had overheard everything and Bella could see he was fuming. She shot him a warning look, begging him with her eyes not to interfere. He held her gaze for a long time before slowly settling down again. Bella breathed a sigh of relief.

"My god you've got him well trained." Leah said sourly. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

"Stop throwing imprinting in my face." Bella whispered harshly. "I don't obsess over it like you do. If you want my honest opinion I don't think you and Sam would have lasted anyway. You are going places he would never have been able to follow. Stop ruining your life holding on to what could have been. Imprinting isn't ruining your life, you are."

"You have no idea about my life." Leah scowled. Fine tremors began to run up and down her arms.

"I know that you are a fiercely, beautiful, independent woman. You will find love again you just need to open up your heart to it. Let go of your bitterness, Leah, before it poisons everything in your life. You have so many people who love you and who want to see you happy again." Bella looked pointedly toward Seth, who was trying to get Jacob's attention again, but he was too focused on watching Bella and Leah. "Please don't make the same mistake I did. I thought Edward was my one and only love. I invested everything in him, thinking he was my forever. But he wasn't. He left me and it hurt. I nearly let it kill me. But I came out the other side because I finally let in those who truly loved me. I got better. They made me better. They made me realise that my love for Edward wasn't real. It was just an adolescent fantasy. Just like it is for you and Sam. It's not his love that you're pining for, Leah. It's your self respect. He chose someone else over you and that's what you can't let go of."

Leah's lips parted as she panted heavily. Her eyes were blazing with anger. "Don't compare yourself to me."

"I can and I will. Because when I look into your eyes I see myself as I was months ago when Edward first left me. You're wallowing in your anger and bitterness just like I wallowed in my sadness. They may be different emotions but the outcome is the same. Don't do what I did and waste anymore of your time grieving over something that no longer matters. Please." Bella was trembling with the intensity of her emotions. She could see she had touched a raw nerve in the she wolf and she was glad. Maybe it would force Leah to take a good, hard look at herself. She didn't say anymore but just got up and headed back to Jacob.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	21. Chapter 21

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twenty One**

Jacob reported a couple of days later that Leah's attitude was beginning to change. "Your talk really hit home." He confided to Bella. "She actually sought Sam and Emily out herself and finally made peace with them."

"Really?" Bella couldn't stop the pleased smile from crossing her face. It felt good to know that her advice had actually had an impact and helped someone.

"Yep." Jacob had a similar smile of his own. He was so proud of Bella. None of them had been able to deal with Leah's bitter emotions. In the end they had simply chosen to ignore it, which wasn't the ideal solution when they were all sharing head space. "The three of them are never gonna be super close or anything but at least Lee is willing to move on from her heartache."

"Good for her." Bella was feeling buoyant with happiness. For the first time in a long time things were going her way. It was easy to forget that she still had a vengeful redhead intent on revenge. She had been living in a bubble ever since Jacob had moved in. Life had felt normal and she had been revelling in it. "I think we should celebrate." She suggested suddenly.

"I like the sound of that." Jacob agreed. Bella was glowing. He thought she looked more beautiful than ever. He loved seeing her becoming more confident with each passing day. "What do you have in mind?"

"What about a picnic?" Bella continued eagerly. "Our dad's are spending the day fishing so I thought you and I could take advantage and head out to the beach with some food."

"Awesome." Jacob couldn't stop grinning. It felt like a date. He was sure that was Bella's intent even if she wasn't voicing the words out loud. "What can I do to help?"

"You are going to do nothing." Bella began to usher him out of the kitchen. "You rest for a change, Jake. I'll call you when I'm done."

* * *

It was a glorious sunny day. A rarity in Forks. They loaded the picnic in the back of Bella's old Chevy and took a lazy drive to La Push. Bella allowed Jacob to drive her precious truck while she kicked back and relaxed. She had her feet up on the dash as she looked out at the beautiful scenery passing by. "It really is beautiful here." She breathed. "I just never took the time to appreciate it before."

"Yeah." Jacob couldn't help but agree.

Life was so hectic that none of them had any time just to stop and admire the natural beauty surrounding them. First beach, the northernmost beach, was around fifteen miles from Forks. It was the only beach that could be accessed with a vehicle. The crescent shaped beach was famous for bringing in driftwood which made it dangerous to stand in the water. One spot in particular was special to Jacob and Bella, and this was where they headed once they had parked the Old Chevy. The old driftwood log stood proudly on the beach. It's wood had long ago been bleached out by the fierce winds and salt spray from the ocean.

"It feels like forever since we were last here." Bella declared as she kicked off her sneakers and let her toes sink into the soft sand. She closed her eyes and raised her face to the sky. She could feel the sun on her skin and the salt on her lips. She breathed in the sea air, letting it fill her lungs.

Jacob was hunkered down, spreading out the picnic blanket. He paused to watch her. Her long, shiny brown hair was hanging loose around her shoulders. The silky strands blazed red in the sun. He admired the smattering of freckles across Bella's nose. Her thick lashes settled softly on her cheeks as she kept her eyes closed and let the heat kiss her skin. She was so beautiful. Jacob had to fight the urge to scoop her up into his arms and kiss her delectable lips.

"I've sure missed this place." He said huskily instead.

"Me too." Bella opened her eyes again and turned to him, smiling.

Jacob squinted up at her as the sun got in his eyes. "I'll start unpacking the picnic."

"Okay." Bella settled down on the blanket, curling her legs underneath her. She was feeling very calm and relaxed. "Wouldn't it be great if life could be like this all the time."

"Uh huh." Jacob emptied the basket and spread the containers of food across the blanket. He was surprised to pull out a bottle of red wine. He looked toward Bella, eyebrows raised.

"Why not?" Bella teased. "I found it in the back of the cupboard and it just called to me."

"Do you remember the last time you drank some of this wine?" Jacob reminded her.

"I won't need the Black's miracle cure this time. It's only one bottle and you're gonna be helping me drink it." Bella pointed out. She produced two plastic cups from the basket and held them out to Jacob. "Go on pop the cork. I'm thirsty."

"Well you said this was a celebration." Jacob conceded as he opened the bottle and poured two generous amounts into the plastic cups.

"Here's to us." Bella raised her cup in a toast. There was an enigmatic expression on her pretty face. Jacob wasn't sure how to read her. He raised his own cup and bumped it against hers. Bella smiled before taking a sip. "This is nice."

"Sure." Jacob drank a generous amount and smacked his lips together playfully. "Charlie has good taste."

"I think the wine was a gift." Bella said casually. "Dad is more of a beer drinker."

"Yeah, just like my old man." Jacob refilled his cup. He was already eyeing the food. His keen sense of smell was making his mouth water.

Bella noticed and laughed quietly. "Go ahead, Jake. Tuck in."

Jacob chuckled, partly in embarrassment. His stomach rumbled right on cue. Bella knew him too well.

* * *

When the picnic was over Jacob and Bella settled back against the driftwood log enjoying the last of the wine. In the distance they could see other people dotted along the beach. Some were walking their dogs. Others had young children with them.

Jacob noticed Bella watching the kids intently. He wondered what was passing through her mind. She looked thoughtful. "Are you okay, Bells?" He asked cautiously.

Bella tore her eyes away from the children playing in the sand. She smiled weakly. "It's nothing." She mumbled. Her cheeks reddened, indicating to Jacob that whatever was troubling her was definitely not nothing. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak. Bella sighed. She dug her fingers into the sand and let the fine grains dribble from her palm back onto the beach. "I was just thinking that if I had stayed with Edward I would have lost my chance to be a mother."

Jacob's dark eyes widened at the turn in the conversation. He hadn't expected that. Bella had never expressed an interest in motherhood before. He considered his response carefully before answering. "You would have lost the chance to do a lot of things. You made the right choice, Bells."

"I know." Bella bit down on her lower lip as she glanced toward the children again. "It just makes me realise how naive I really was."

"So...are you saying you see yourself having kids in the future." Jacob asked curiously.

"Do you?" Bella turned it around on him. She cocked her head to one side as she waited for his reply.

"Definitely." Jacob said promptly. He smiled tentatively at Bella. "I know it sounds weird but it's always something I've wanted."

"It doesn't sound weird." Jacob's confession wasn't a surprise to Bella. He had sisters. His parents had been happily married until Sarah had sadly passed away. Bella was an only child, a product of divorced parents. She knew that her view on relationships had been coloured by her own experiences. "I guess I always worried that I would follow the same pattern as my parents." Bella drew a circle in the sand with her forefinger. "Like mother like daughter. Isn't that what they say."

Jacob was horrified by Bella's perception of her own ability to be a good mother. Renee had really screwed with her self esteem. He reached out and caught her hand. He laced his fingers through hers as she glanced up at him from under her long lashes, seeking reassurance despite herself. "Bells, you are nothing like Renee. When your time comes you'll be a great mom. I know it. You're kind, caring and have so much love to give. Any kid would be lucky to have you as a mother."

"You think too much of me, Jake." Bella's lips trembled as she spoke.

"I'm speaking the truth." Jacob said sincerely. He looked at Bella with such tenderness in his eyes that tears spilled down her cheeks. Jacob was shocked. "Please don't cry." He begged her.

"You love me very much, don't you." Bella whispered.

"Yeah." Jacob wasn't going to deny it. He had never hidden his feelings even though he had respected Bella's wish for him not to express them verbally. But now she was the one bringing them into the conversation.

"I don't want to hurt you." Bella continued thickly.

"You won't." Jacob replied confidently.

"How can you be so sure?" Bella asked doubtfully.

"Because you love me, too." Jacob sounded so earnest. Bella's breath hitched as she gazed at his handsome face. She didn't deserve him. He was too good for her. She felt conflicted. "You don't have to decide anything now, Bells. I can wait until you're ready."

Bella reached out and grazed her fingers over his lips. They were soft and pliant under her touch. Jacob closed his eyes as her fingers left his lips and began to explore his face. Her hand lingered on his cheek before caressing his brow. Wherever she touched his skin tingled. He felt her forefinger glide over the bridge of his nose before settling on his lower lip. He opened his eyes again only to find Bella's face hovering close to his. His breath caught in his throat as she drew closer to him. Their mouths were barely inches apart.

"Bells..." He said huskily, closing the gap right before they were interrupted.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Two**

"Baby girl." Renee's high pitched voice forced Jacob and Bella apart.

"Mom?" Bella's head was spinning with confusion. She wet her lips, blinking rapidly as she squinted into the sun. She could see Renee stumbling across the sand in the distance. She was wearing ridiculous heels and was dragging a heavy suitcase behind her on wheels. "What is she doing here?" Bella whispered in an aside to Jacob. His face was grim as he shrugged.

"Baby...some help here, please." Renee called out as she tripped. She was creating quite a spectacle of herself.

Jacob sighed as he stood up easily and went to assist Bella's mother. He was annoyed that she had ruined one of the most special moments of his life. He had been so focused on Bella that he hadn't been aware that she was heading their way. The light winds had blown her scent in the opposite direction so he didn't even have that warning. "Let me take that." He said gruffly when he reached Renee and took hold of the suitcase. It was coming apart at the seams with all her stuff.

"Thank you." Renee beamed. "You are such a sweetheart."

Jacob didn't bother to reply. Renee was wearing a huge straw hat to shield her delicate skin from the sun. This was teamed with a pair of shorts that were cut high on the leg, revealing way too much for a woman of her age and a white t-shirt with Malibu emblazoned on the front in bold red lettering. It was an outfit a teenager would wear. Jacob looked in Bella's direction, she looked completely confused. How had Renee tracked them down to the beach? They hadn't told anyone where they were going. Jacob didn't bother to wait for Renee to catch him up. He rejoined Bella and dumped the bulging suitcase next to the old driftwood log.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Bella asked when Renee finally reached her. "I thought you were supposed to be finding somewhere to stay."

"I couldn't find anywhere decent, baby." Renee whined as she whipped off her sunglasses and settled down on the bleached out log. "The motels around here are so grotty. I've had to pay a fortune to put my other stuff into storage. This is all I could carry with me. It's awful, baby. Just awful. I can't cope. I can't."

"You said you were heading back to Jacksonville." Bella eyed her mother warily. Something wasn't adding up here. "And how did you know I was here."

Renee pouted as she put her sunglasses back on to shield her eyes from Bella's fierce glare. "Don't scold me like a child, baby. I may or may not have followed you from a distance."

"You don't have a car." Bella narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. She could guess what was coming next.

"I hired one." Renee said defensively. "How else was I supposed to get around."

"My god, you've spent all the money dad gave you haven't you." Bella had to turn away. She was so angry. She felt Jacob's hand on her shoulder and she leaned into him for support.

"These things are expensive, baby." Renee complained. "You haven't been out in the real world yet. You have no idea of how much things can cost."

"You are unbelievable." Bella cried. She wanted to shake Renee she was so angry. "You're the one who has no idea of how to manage money, not me."

"Don't be mad at me, baby girl. I need your help." Renee gazed at her daughter forlornly. "Please, I need you to persuade Charlie to let me move back in for a while. Just until I get back onto my feet."

Jacob was shocked at Renee's audacity. There was no way that Charlie would let her near the place after she had so wilfully neglected Billy. He felt Bella tense next to him. She was on the verge of losing it. So was he. He was finding it difficult to hide his resentment from Renee. But he knew it wasn't his place to say anything or interfere. She was Bella's mother and that counted for something despite her selfish actions. So Jacob kept his own counsel and followed Bella's lead.

"So you want my help do you, mom." Bella said tonelessly.

Renee nodded eagerly. "I knew you would come through for me, baby."

Bella didn't respond. Instead she turned her attention to Jacob. "Can you carry mom's case to the truck and then drive it back to Forks. Mom and I will follow in the hire car."

"Okay." Jacob squeezed her shoulder in understanding before he lifted up the bulging suitcase and made to leave. He knew that Bella was barely holding it together. Soon she would explode and Renee would be burned from the fallout.

* * *

Bella remained quiet during the twenty minute drive back to Forks. Renee kept up a stream of chatter to fill the silence. She was full of complaints about how much she had suffered in the last few days as she tried to survive on her own. It seemed she had frittered the money away that Charlie had given her to support herself on expensive meals out, clothes and hotel rooms, as well as storage for her stuff and the hire car. The places she had stayed were far from grotty. They were some of the most expensive places in the area. Bella was livid. It took an enormous amount of self restraint for her to remain silent. Her fists clenched in her lap as she listened to her mother drone on and on.

Bella was relieved when they finally reached the house. Renee pulled into the drive behind the old Chevy and parked up. She noted that her ridiculously overstuffed suitcase was still sitting in the truck's flatbed. "I thought your man would have taken it inside." Renee said to Bella.

"Get out of the car, mom." Bella's tone was laced with steel as she ordered Renee to follow her.

"Baby, you're not still peeved at me, surely." It was finally sinking into Renee's thick skin that something was amiss.

"I'm not peeved." Bella muttered. She marched up the front porch and let herself inside the house. Renee followed her, suddenly feeling nervous. "Wait there." Bella stopped her mother in the hall before she could begin to make herself at home again.

"What is this?" Renee's eyes darted nervously to her daughter. Bella didn't sound like herself. She suddenly felt uncertain. She noticed her exchanging a meaningful look with Jacob and she felt a flutter of panic. "Baby, what's going on?"

"I'm going to write you a cheque." Bella snapped.

"Bells, are you sure you want to do this?" Jacob said in a low voice. He put his hand on her arm, making her pause.

"Yes. I've never been surer of anything in my life." Bella placed her hand over his for a moment, showing him with her eyes that she knew what she was doing. He sighed before nodding his head in understanding.

Renee hovered anxiously behind Bella as she watched her daughter write out a cheque addressed to her for five thousand dollars. "I don't understand, baby. Where is this money coming from?"

Bella ripped off the cheque as if ripping off a band aid. She handed it to her mother silently. "That is all I have. It's the money I've been saving for college. It's all yours. It should be enough to get you a one way ticket to Jacksonville and to support you for a while. Goodbye, mother."

"No." Renee breathed as her face paled. Her hands began to shake. Bella sounded so cold, so dismissive. "I wasn't asking for money just a place to stay for a while. Don't do this, baby."

"STOP CALLING ME BABY. I'M NOT A CHILD." Bella yelled as she finally snapped. "TAKE THE DAMN MONEY, MOM. THAT'S ALL YOU CARE ABOUT ISN'T IT."

"That's not true, bab...sweetheart. I love you. You're my little girl. We've always been a team. Just you and me, remember." Renee cried fervently. "I was thinking maybe we could get a place together. Just you and me. It would be like old times. We had so much fun, didn't we. We were like sisters."

Bella felt angry tears well in her eyes. Renee really was delusional. She only saw what she wanted to see. "It wasn't fun living with you, mom." She retorted bitterly. "It was hard work. We weren't like sisters. I was the mother and you were the child. I was the one who made sure that the bills were paid on time. I was the one who kept us afloat when you lost job after job. I was the one who found us new places to stay when you got us evicted. I was the one who cooked, cleaned and made sure that there was food on the table." Her voice rose higher and higher as she let Renee have it with both barrels.

"That's not how it was." Renee refuted as she tried to defend herself.

"Yes, it was." Bella dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands. "We only survived because dad sent us a generous amount each month to live on and because I had part time jobs. But you didn't know that did you, because you were too busy out there having a good time to even notice."

"Baby, please, I tried my best..." Renee faltered.

"No, mom, you didn't try at all. You keep promising to change but you never do. I placed my trust in you to look after Billy. This time I really thought you had changed, but instead he nearly ended up back in the hospital because of you." Bella had quietened down again now. She was emotionally drained. She just wanted Renee to take the cheque and leave. "This is the very last time I'm going to bail you out, mom. I can't go through this again. This time you really are on your own."

Renee gasped. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head in denial. "Baby...sweetheart...Bella...you don't really mean that."

"But I do." Bella whispered brokenly. "I'm done. You need to leave now." She felt Jacob's arms around her and she turned around and buried her head against his chest, sobbing as if her heart would break.

Renee stood in the hallway with the crumpled cheque still held tightly in her hand. She trembled, her eyes bright with tears. "I love you, baby. I love you." Her stricken gaze flicked to Jacob. "Take care of my baby." She begged.

"Always." Jacob promised.

Renee jerked her head at his acknowledgement. Trembling like a newborn foal she stumbled as she wobbled in her ridiculous heels. Taking a deep breath she opened the front door and stepped outside, before closing it behind her.

When she heard the latch click Bella raised her sad eyes to Jacob's. He looked at her tenderly, his fingers brushing her cheek as he tried to console her. "She actually took the cheque didn't she." Fresh tears dribbled down her cheeks. "Part of me held onto the hope that she wouldn't take it."

"I know." Jacob leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm so sorry, honey." He hated that Bella's faith in her mother was completely shattered. He shared her pain like she always shared his. "I wish things could have turned out differently."

Bella rested her head against his chest again. Jacob scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the sofa and held her until she had no more tears left to cry.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	23. Chapter 23

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Three**

Bella found it difficult to face Charlie after he returned from his fishing trip with Billy. She couldn't bring herself to tell him about Renee taking her college money. She knew if she said the words aloud that it would make it real and she wasn't ready to face the consequences of that yet. Instead she begged Jacob to do it instead. He tried to coax her into telling her father the truth, he hated that she was hurting and didn't want her to internalise her feelings of betrayal. But Bella was still emotionally fragile and insisted she wasn't ready, so Jacob had caved in. He would do whatever she needed him to do and support her during the fallout.

The two men came back from their fishing trip on a high. They had enjoyed a friendly competition to see who could catch the most fish. Billy had won and he couldn't hide his triumphant smile as he ribbed his friend in front of his son. "Aright, Billy." Charlie said good naturedly as he dumped the fishing gear. He looked at Jacob. "Where's Bells? Tell her we've got enough fish to fill the freezer twice over."

Jacob felt awkward. He hated being the bearer of bad news. He rubbed the back of his neck unable to meet Charlie's gaze. "Um...Bella's just resting upstairs."

Charlie knew something was wrong immediately by Jacob's tone. He exchanged a worried glance with Billy. "Is she okay?"

"Not really." Jacob sighed as he finally met Charlie's eyes. "Something happened while you were away."

"Just spit it out, Jake." Charlie snapped, frustrated.

"Go on, son. Just tell the chief the truth." Billy urged his son. His good mood plummeted. He had enjoyed the fishing trip with Charlie. It had helped them both relax and now they had come home to this. He guessed it was something to do with Renee. It was just a gut feeling. He listened in silence as his son finally opened up and told Charlie about Renee's unexpected reappearance and how the despicable woman had shattered her own daughter's faith in her as she shamefully absconded with Bella's college money without showing an ounce of remorse.

* * *

Bella was lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She had tried to sleep but her mind was too busy. There was a light tap on the door. "Bells, can we talk." It was Charlie.

"Dad, I'm not ready." Bella could feel her eyes filling with tears. He was going to make her confront her feelings and she didn't think she could cope. "Please can we leave it for now." She begged.

Despite her pleading Charlie opened the door and stepped inside the room. "I wish I could, kiddo." He edged further into the room and closed the door behind him. It was dark inside. Bella had drawn the curtains, shutting out the sun.

"It hurts too much." Bella whispered as she turned her tearstained face toward the only parent she had left. The bed dipped as Charlie sat down and took her cold hand in his. "Please don't make me."

"I have to, Bells." Charlie said gruffly. "If there's one thing we've got in common it's our inability to deal with things that cause us emotional pain. We shut down, just like you did when Cullen left you and just like I did when Renee did the same to me."

Bella felt her tears wet her cheeks. She peered up through the gloom at Charlie's profile. His jaw was tight as if at some old remembered pain. "How bad did it get when mom left you?" She dared to ask. They had never spoken about this before, mainly because Charlie refused to speak about it.

Charlie rubbed the back of her hand as he looked down at her. He sighed heavily as his past was reflected back at him. "I should have shared this with you a long time ago. It may have helped you when you were going through your own emotional crisis. It's just hard for me to open up, it always has been."

"You don't have to tell me." Bella pulled herself upright so she could see his face properly. She was shocked to find that Charlie's eyes were glimmering with unshed tears. "Dad, I shouldn't have asked. I am so sorry." She apologised.

"Don't apologise, kiddo." Charlie said earnestly. He sucked in a deep breath before continuing. "Like I said I should have opened up before. I look at you and see so much of myself in you." He smiled tiredly, rubbing the back of her hand again. "That's a good thing mostly. I like to think I've got some good qualities." His eyes sparkled for a moment with mirth before it just as quickly dissipated.

"You have." Bella returned his smile cautiously. She wiped her hand across her eyes to dry up her tears. "You're the best dad ever."

"You think too much of me, kiddo." Charlie refuted.

His words were an exact replica of what she had said to Jacob earlier at the beach. Her throat tightened at the comparison. They really were more alike than she had ever considered before. Bella repeated to him exactly what Jacob had said to her. "I'm speaking the truth. I love you, dad. I don't know how I would have gotten through everything without you. You've always had my back. I just took a while to see it that way."

Charlie felt his eyes moisten. Jeez, he was an emotional mess. He took another deep breath. This conversation was becoming cathartic for both of them. "I love you too, Bells. When your mom upped and left, taking you with her, I fell apart. The only way I could cope was by shutting down completely. I threw myself into work instead. I was like an automaton. Does this sound familiar?"

"You numbed yourself just like I did." Bella said softly.

"Yes. It was lucky for me that I had some good friends to pull me out of my funk. Billy and Harry never gave up on me. They forced me to confront my feelings even when I hated them for it. I tried pushing them away. I actually hit Billy I was so mad at him for getting in my face and forcing me to feel again."

"Oh my god." Bella's eyes widened in surprise. She knew that her father must have reached his lowest point to lash out at his best friend so violently.

"Billy stood in front of me with a bloodied nose and yelled at me to pull my head out of my ass. He warned me if I didn't confront the shit I was dealing with that I would lose contact with you forever. He told me to fight. It was the wakeup call I needed." Charlie looked ashamed at his former actions. He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry for what your mother did to you, Bells. I really am. But don't let her selfishness drag you down. We've both wasted enough time and emotion on her already. I'm sorry about your college money." He said regretfully. "But I don't want you to worry. I've been putting money aside for your college fund for years. Wherever you choose to go we'll find a way to get you there."

Bella burst into tears again. But this time they were happy tears. She flung her arms around Charlie and hugged him tight, safe in the knowledge that though Renee had let her down, she still had Charlie in her corner to keep her safe. She was luckier than most and decided to take his advice and not let Renee's actions define her future.

* * *

"So your dad gave mine a bloody nose, huh." Jacob said after Bella confided in him about what Charlie had told her. "I would let you do the same to me if you needed to, but you'd only end up breaking your hand." He teased Bella lightly.

"Very funny." Bella dug him in the ribs with her elbow. "Don't tempt me, Jake. My hand might break so I might just try a baseball bat instead."

Jacob whistled sharply as he tried to hide his smile. He couldn't contain his relief that Bella was feeling so much better. He had been worried for a while, afraid that Renee's betrayal would send her spiralling into depression again. Thank god that Charlie had ignored everyone's advice to give Bella some space to grieve and instead made her confront her feelings head on.

"You don't need to worry about me, Jake. I'm really okay." Bella assured him suddenly as if she had actually just read his mind.

"I'm glad." Jacob took her hand and gazed down at her lovely face. "I admit I was a bit worried."

"Only a bit." Bella arched her eyebrows playfully.

"Well a lot." Jacob admitted, shrugging.

"I've learned my lesson, Jake. I won't become like a zombie again." Bella promised him. She tugged on his hand, drawing him closer. Her gaze latched onto his, her brown eyes were bright, lambent, sparkling with a myriad of emotions. Jacob held his breath as he watched Bella moisten her lips. He wanted to kiss her so badly but wasn't sure if now was the right time. "I enjoyed the picnic, Jake."

"So did I." Jacob didn't recognise the sound of his own voice. He swallowed a few times, smiling shyly. "We should do it again."

"Uh huh." Bella agreed with a smile of her own. "What do you suggest?"

"I could cook for..."

"No." Bella shook her head quickly. "I could cook for you."

"Yeah...you could do that." Jacob tried not to laugh at the way Bella had so quickly deflected his offer to cook. He had just been teasing. After last time he wasn't going near the stove again. "Or I could take you out for a romantic meal."

"Romantic." Bella mused. Their noses were nearly touching. She gazed at Jacob coquettishly from under her thick lashes. "Are you sure you know how to be romantic?"

"Please, Bells." Jacob laughed as if her comment was absurd. "I can be romantic."

"Really?" Bella arched her eyebrows again as she waited for his response. "Give me some examples."

"That's too much pressure." Jacob couldn't hide his bright smile. He loved it when Bella teased him. She was so damn beautiful. He was going to explode soon if he didn't get to kiss those luscious lips of hers.

"Come on, Jake. I'm waiting."

"Um...I gave you those love hearts on Valentine's day." He reminded her. "You have to admit that's cute."

"Mmm...cute certainly." Bella agreed. "But you remember you're the one who actually ate them, right."

"What?" Jacob frowned in confusion. "No I didn't."

Bella giggled. "That was one of the days I fell off the motorbike. You drove me to the ER to get checked out. You got bored waiting and said you were hungry, so I gave you the love hearts to eat."

Jacob smiled sheepishly. "Oh, yeah, that's right. It's the thought that counts though."

"I suppose." Bella conceded. She rested her forehead against Jacob's and laughed quietly in amusement. He was smiling too. She could feel the heat from his body surrounding her in a warm cocoon. He made her feel so safe, so protected... _so loved_.

Jacob edged his mouth closer to hers. It was really going to happen he could feel it. His lips tingled in anticipation of their first proper kiss. His eyes closed and Bella's did the same...

A loud knock on the front door startled them both. They jerked apart as if they had been electrocuted. "What the hell?" Jacob cussed under his breath.

Bella, feeling flustered, rose to her feet. "I'd better go and answer that." She mumbled. She could feel the blush rising on her skin and she hurried from the room before Jacob had a chance to comment on it. She felt as irritated as he did at the interruption. She smoothed down her hair and tried to slow her breathing before she answered the door. Once she felt more composed Bella thrust the door open only to fine Mike Newton standing on her front porch wearing a nervous smile and holding a huge bunch of flowers.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	24. Chapter 24

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Four**

Bella stared in bemusement at the large bunch of flowers Mike was holding. She was lost for words. She remembered some vague arrangement that had been made about them being study partners, she had tried to dissuade him at the time but he had run off before she had a chance to. "What are you doing here?" She asked eventually as his nervous smile began to falter. "Are these supposed to be for me?" She eyed the flowers dubiously.

"Um...no actually." Mike cleared his throat to steady his nerves. "I bought these for your father."

"You bought my dad flowers." Bella echoed him. "Why?" She felt totally flummoxed. Was Mike drunk? He was certainly acting weird.

Two spots of red bloomed on Mike's cheeks. He gulped a few times before continuing. "Um...it's my way of saying sorry for accidentally asking him if he wanted to go on a date." He said desperately.

"You asked my dad out on a date?" Bella was incredulous. She gaped at him as if he was some kind of alien species who had landed on her doorstep. She edged away from him just to be on the safe side. "Look, Mike, I think you should..." Bella began to close the door.

"Didn't Chief Swan tell you I had called before?" Mike interjected hastily before Bella had a chance to shut the door in his face.

His question made her pause. Bella studied him warily. "No, he didn't say anything."

"Oh." Mike was getting increasingly flustered. "Well he rang my parents and told them about our unfortunate encounter. I tried to explain that I was simply trying to do the honourable thing by asking his permission to date you."

"Date me." Bella grimaced. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Jacob coming out of the lounge. He had overheard their odd exchange. He was trying to stifle his laughter. Bella tried to keep her attention focused on Mike. "If you want to date a girl you ask her first not her father. We are in the twenty first century."

Mike's face reddened further as he continued to blunder on. "And that's why I'm being a new man and saying it with flowers. " He took in a deep breath. "I brought something else for you."

"Oh god." Bella cried in exasperation. She glanced sideways at Jacob. He was creasing up at Mike's inept attempts to woo her. Mike couldn't see Jacob from where he was standing on the front porch. "Please, I don't want a present." Bella said irritably to Mike as she tried to ignore Jacob's quiet laughter.

"I know you don't like gifts but I can promise you that you will love this one. I've done my research." Mike sounded very proud of himself. Bella hadn't noticed that he had been holding one hand behind his back hiding something. He bent down and placed the ridiculous flowers on the front porch before whipping out the largest bag of marshmallows Bella had ever seen in her life. They were done up in a clear plastic bag topped off by a ludicrous pink bow. A gift tag was attached. "There you go."

"Oh my god." Bella said in disbelief as Mike thrust the marshmallows at her. Jacob was leaning against the wall now, holding his stomach as he shook with silent laughter. Bella could have kicked him. She quickly scanned the gift tag attached to the marshmallow bag. "Some men say it with chocolates but real men say it with marshmallows." Bella read aloud slowly. "Are you for real?" She snapped at Newton.

Her sharp tone wiped off his triumphant smile. "But you love marshmallows." He stuttered.

"Who told you that?" Bella demanded.

"Your friend."

"What friend?" Bella's voice was laced with steel.

"That guy who came to see that movie with us...um Jo...something..."

"Jacob." Bella ground out. Her eyes narrowed as she shot Jacob a death glare. His laughter had come to an abrupt halt. He straightened up, smiling sheepishly as he tried to act all innocent. Bella pursed her lips and turned her attention back to Mike. He was looking nervous again. "So tell me exactly what my good friend Jacob told you and when." She said sweetly.

"It was a few days ago now. He was being very cryptic." Mike rubbed his forehead as if trying to recall the exact conversation. "But he kept talking about marshmallows. He gave me some advice about not wearing so much aftershave." He gave her an embarrassed smile. "I admit maybe I did put on a little too much when I came over that day but I was so focused on impressing Chief Swan. Things got a bit confused, but your friend definitely was hinting that you loved marshmallows. I'm sure of it."

Bella's gaze flicked to Jacob again. He was shaking his head, making signs with his hands that he had no idea what Newton was talking about. A sly smile crossed Bella's face. Jacob had been enjoying himself at her expense as he watched Newton make a total fool of himself, maybe this was her chance to pay him back and tease him a little. She turned back to Newton. "I do love marshmallows, Mike. Thank you for being so thoughtful."

"You're welcome." Mike's face brightened as he beamed at her.

Bella cringed inside but she kept her expression perfectly composed. "I should have been an actress." She thought to herself. Her gaze flitted to Jacob again. He was looking annoyed now. "Good."

Mike had no idea what was really going on in Bella's head. He bent down and pulled one of the flowers out of the huge bunch he had bought for Charlie. He presented it to Bella with a flourish. "A pretty flower for a pretty girl." He declared.

His over the top gesture nearly made Bella burst out laughing. Instead she took the flower and sniffed it, twirling it between her fingers as she smiled at him flirtatiously. "It smells lovely. Just like you must have done with all that aftershave."

"I've got some on now." Mike said cluelessly as he leaned closer to Bella. "You can smell it if you want."

The last thing Bella wanted to do was sniff Mike Newton. She noticed Jacob scowling and it only egged her on. She was enjoying getting under his skin. So she continued to smile at Mike as she gingerly leaned forward and sniffed his neck. "Woah." She gasped, coughing. "That's really stro...something."

"It's awesome isn't it." Mike was glowing under Bella's praise. "It's not cheap. Only the best for you, Bella."

"Thanks." Bella's eyes were stinging from the potent smell. She wiped her eyes discreetly, glancing in Jacob's direction as she did so. He looked back at her calculatingly. He was about to do something. She was sure of it. Bella darted a warning look his way before returning her attention to Newton again. "Well thanks for stopping by, Mike. Thanks for the marshmall..."

"I was hoping we could go out to dinner." Mike interrupted her again. "Or maybe see a movie. Instead of popcorn we could share the marshmallows. It will be so romantic..."

Bella decided right then and there that Mike Newton was socially inept or completely delusional. How could sharing squishy marshmallows be classed as romantic. She was beginning to regret trying to wind Jacob up. She decided it was pointless being subtle with Mike. She would just have to be blunt. She was about to try and let him down none too gently when Jacob appeared by her side. Bella's mouth gaped open as she was suddenly confronted with Jacob's inviting bare chest. He had whipped his t-shirt off and was wearing nothing but his shorts which hung low on his hips. Her eyes travelled over the planes of his chest. His tan skin seemed to glow in the light. He was stunningly beautiful. She was broken out of her stupor when he threw a friendly arm across her shoulders.

"Hey, the marshmallows back." Jacob greeted Mike casually. "And he's brought some with him, too. Nice one, dude." Jacob snatched the huge bag of marshmallows out of Bella's weak grip. He popped open the bag and took one out. He threw it in the air and caught it in his mouth easily. He chewed slowly, drawing Bella close to his side again.

"I...I...I didn't know you were here." Mike stammered as he was forced to crane his neck to look up at Jacob.

"I live here, duh." Jacob rolled his eyes as if Mike had just asked him the stupidest question on the planet.

"You live here." Mike's stupefied gaze sought Bella's. "Does he?"

"He's staying here." Bella confirmed as she glowered at Jacob.

"But where does he sleep?" Mike continued in shock.

"Where do you think?" Jacob grinned as he flipped another marshmallow in the air and caught it in his mouth.

Mike's baby blue eyes widened in surprise. "You mean...oh." He gulped a few times and tugged at his collar. Sweat broke out on his brow and he began to back away. "You know I might go. I'm not feeling very well."

"Again?" Jacob questioned innocently. "You really should get checked out, dude. Every time we meet you seem to come over all funny. I'm getting a complex."

"Um...it's...it's nothing to do with you." Mike lied as he watched Jacob flex his considerable muscle. "I'll be going now. I'll see you around, Bella." He cried as he dived toward his car as if the hounds of hell were after him.

Bella watched as Mike clambered into his suburban and floored it. He swung out of the drive, barely missing her old truck as he did a three point turn and sped down the road.

* * *

Bella stormed into the house carrying the unfortunate flowers. She ran some water and dumped them in the sink. Jacob followed behind her. He was still laughing at the look on Newton's face. "What a tool."

"What him or you?" Bella snapped as she swung round and confronted him.

Jacob shook his head in confusion. "Excuse me?" He asked.

"No, I won't excuse you." Bella crossed her arms and glared at him. "You gave Mike the wrong impression."

"You're not making sense, Bells. I did you a favour." Jacob said, affronted.

"You made it sound like you sleep in my room." Bella retorted. She felt her face heat up even as she spoke the words.

"I have slept in your room." Jacob reminded her.

His response flummoxed Bella because he was only speaking the truth. "Well he's gonna take what you did say out of context." She complained.

"What's the big deal?" Jacob was getting irritated. "Why are you so worried about what Newton thinks? Are you ashamed of me or something?"

"Now you are being ridiculous." Bella said haughtily. She glared up at him. "You were the one having fun at my expense." She drew closer and jabbed finger at his bare chest. "And stripping off just to intimidate Mike."

"You enjoyed the show. You were practically drooling at one point when you ogled me." Jacob pointed out. "Don't deny it, Bells. You think I'm hot."

"The only thing that's hot right now is my temper." Bella lied badly. Her face flushed when Jacob smirked in her direction. "Gah, you are so infuriating."

"And hot." Jacob caught her hand when she tried to slap his chest. "You have to admit that was funny. Come on." He gave her a teasing grin.

"For poor Mike it wasn't." Bella's face relaxed when Jacob kept smiling at her. He gave her his best puppy dog look and she was lost. "Dammit, Jake. I'm still mad at you."

"That's cool." Jacob leaned down so their foreheads were touching. "I probably do deserve it."

"You do." Bella couldn't stop the indulgent smile spreading across her face. He had such cute dimples when he smiled. She suddenly felt shy again. She was remembering their near kiss before Mike interrupted them. ""Where were we?" She said softly.

"Right here I think." Jacob looked right into her eyes as he gave her another sexy smirk. His breath was warm on her skin as he inclined his mouth closer to hers.

"Yes, we were right here." Bella whispered back to him. Jacob's smirk dissolved into a tender smile. She felt a thousand butterflies take flight in her stomach. Jacob was going to kiss her and she was going to let him. Her eyelids fluttered closed in anticipation right before Charlie and Billy barrelled into the house ruining their special moment for a third time.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! How much do you all hate me right now? Not as much as Jake and Bella do right now, I bet! LOL ;)**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews everyone!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Five**

Charlie and Billy couldn't understand what was wrong with Jacob and Bella. They were being very moody. They had come back from another outing feeling very relaxed only to find two snappy teenagers irritated by their every move. The two men were completely mystified.

"It must be their hormones." Billy decided.

"In Bells' case I suspect that's a given." Charlie agreed dubiously. He lowered his voice so his daughter wouldn't overhear. "I think it's her time of the month. She must have PMS." His face burned at the very thought. He saw Billy shudder and they nodded their heads wisely. "I read about it in one of those silly women's magazines that Renee left lying about when she was here. Bells is matching all the symptoms."

"I think you're right, chief." Billy whispered back to him. "I think she might have been snapping at Jake. That would explain why he's got a black cloud hanging over his head, too."

"We're gonna have to tread around them very carefully." Charlie surmised.

"Good idea." Billy bobbed his head in agreement. "We don't want Bella to explode. We can be understanding. I'm good at being tactful."

"In my line of work I have to be tactful." Charlie boasted. "It's a prerequisite of the job."

Billy thought that Charlie was overstretching that point. He had never known the chief to be tactful, but then he didn't follow him around all day while he was on duty. Maybe he was different at work. "If you say so, chief." He said disbelievingly.

Charlie didn't pick up on his friend's underlying tone. He hadn't told Billy everything. He had ripped the article out of Ren's magazine and stored it away for future use. He remembered the article had tips on how to deal with menstruating women. Now was an ideal time to dig it out and put those tips into practice.

* * *

Jacob had overheard the older men whispering amongst themselves. As usual they had gotten the complete wrong end of the stick. He shook his head in disbelief. He sauntered into Bella's room to let her know what the crazy old men had come up with now. She was sitting at her desk typing out an assignment on her laptop. She was snacking on a chocolate bar. Jacob lounged on her bed and watched her for a moment. Her brow was furrowed in concentration and her lips were puckered slightly as she figured out what to write. Jacob sighed heavily, how he longed to kiss those delectable lips. And he would have already done so too if the old men hadn't blundered in and ruined the moment.

"Our dad's think you've got PMS." He said crassly.

Bella choked on her chocolate bar. She swung around in her chair and stared at him in horror. "Please tell me you're joking." She could feel her face burning with mortification.

"Nope." Jacob popped the P as he leaned back on his elbows. "That's why they think you're being so moody. And they think that I'm moody because you've been taking it all out on me."

"Unbelievable." Bella cursed. She got up out of her chair and joined Jacob on her bed. "They are so clueless."

"It's their age." Jacob pointed out. "I'm sure I read somewhere that the brain cells start dying off when you pass forty."

"That's if they had any brain cells to begin with." Bella muttered darkly. She bit the top of her chocolate bar as if imagining it was Charlie's head. She was still frowning when Charlie's shadow appeared in the doorway. Bella glared at her father as she deliberately took another huge chunk out of the chocolate bar and chewed it slowly.

"You shouldn't be eating sweet stuff." Charlie scolded her as soon as his eyes zeroed in on the bar. "Come on, kiddo. Hand it over." He ordered as if demanding she give up some stolen contraband.

"No." Bella snatched her hand back and kept a tight grip on her candy bar.

"It will only make your symptoms worse." Charlie lectured her sternly.

"What symptoms?" Bella narrowed her eyes.

"Don't make this difficult, Bells." Charlie's cheeks blazed as he blundered on regardless. "You know very well. All sweets and chocolate are off limits. It may make you feel good in the short term but in the long term you'll suffer for it."

"You can't order me about. I'm eighteen." Bella retorted as she shoved the last of the chocolate bar into her mouth.

"You aren't acting eighteen." Charlie muttered testily. He patted the back pocket of his jeans where the informative article was hidden. Another suggestion had been intense physical activity. "You need to some fresh air. You and me are gonna go out for a run."

"A run?" Bella exclaimed. "No freaking way."

"Don't be stubborn, kiddo." Charlie stated firmly. "Get changed."

"I can go for a run with Bells." Jacob offered quickly to take the heat off of Bella. He could see she was about to explode.

"No, kid." Charlie shook his head. "You've suffered enough for today. You stay with your old man and kick back and relax. Me and Bells need some father daughter time."

"What the hell do you mean that Jake has suffered enough for today?" Bella yelled, getting even more irate.

"A quick temper is another symptom, Bells." Charlie revealed. "Hurry up and get changed. I promise that after we've had our run you'll feel a lot more like yourself. Come on, Jake. Let's give Bella some privacy to get changed." He ushered a reluctant Jacob out of the bedroom before Bella had a chance to protest any further.

* * *

Billy watched his son stare moodily at the flat screen. He had been acting sullen ever since Charlie had practically forced Bella at gun point to leave the house with him to get some much needed exercise. The plan was to separate the two of them so both men could have a quiet word with their children. Billy cleared his throat to get Jacob's attention. When his son ignored him he did it several more times until Jacob finally gave him his attention.

"Do you need water or something?" Jacob asked irritably.

"No." Billy shook his head.

"Then why do you keep clearing your throat. It's getting annoying." Jacob scowled before turning back toward the flat screen.

"I understand, son." Billy tried again.

Jacob sighed and turned back to face his father. "I don't think you understand anything."

"Oh, I do. Believe me." Billy rolled his chair forward so he was blocking Jacob's view of the television. "I remember what your mom was like during this difficult time."

"What difficult time?" Jacob was getting more annoyed with each passing second. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the sofa's armrest.

"You know." Billy lowered his voice as if confiding some sacred piece of information. "Sarah used to bite my head off just for breathing when it was her time." He shuddered at the memory, but then his face brightened as he recalled another aspect of his wife's difficult time. "Mind you did she get very frisky around that time, too."

That was too much information as far as Jacob was concerned. He grimaced and rose to his feet. "This conversation is over."

"Come on, son. Don't act all coy." Billy believed he had gotten to the root of the problem. "You can tell me. I'm a good listener. Has Bella been getting a bit frisky too? Is that it?" He looked up at his son's mortified face expectantly. "Do you feel a bit overwhelmed? I know I raised you to do the honourable thing. The sexual tension must be so frustrating."

"You are unbelievable. Do you know that?" Jacob snapped. "What possible chance would there be for me and Bella to get frisky or whatever you call it with you and Charlie blundering around. Just leave me alone." He stormed out of the room before his father could say anything more embarrassing.

"My boy is definitely frustrated." Billy muttered to himself. "No wonder he is so moody."

* * *

Bella was a ball of sweat. She glanced sideways at her father and groaned. He looked a hot mess. He was dressed in some sort of tracksuit popular among middle aged men during the eighties. The fluorescent green sweatband wrapped around his head did his street cred even less favours. "Can we stop now?" She gasped.

"Just another few yards." Charlie panted. He tried increase to his pace but nearly fell flat on his face.

Bella stopped jogging and put her hands on her hips. She couldn't believe she had allowed Charlie to bully her into going on this ridiculous run. "I feel awful." She moaned.

"I bet you feel less frustrated now." Charlie breathed shallowly. "Exercise improves the mind."

"This exercise has killed me." Bella snapped. "And you by the looks of it."

"I'm fine." Charlie rasped as he dabbed at his sweaty brow with a paper napkin. His face was bright red from his recent exertion. "We should do this every day."

"No way." Bella glared at him fiercely.

"You can be stubborn just like me." Charlie actually grinned, setting Bella's teeth on edge. "Don't worry, kiddo. I'll soon whip you into shape. It will improve your symptoms no end."

"Will you stop going on about my symptoms." Bella raged. She gritted her teeth and took a few deep breaths. "I am PERFECTLY FINE."

"I understand, Bells." Charlie patted her shoulder gently. "I'm one of those new men types now. I'm down wit' the kids or the girls." He laughed breathlessly as he patted her shoulder again. "I'll race you back to the house." He bet her.

"Oh my god!" Bella exclaimed to the empty sky as she watched Charlie stagger off back the way they had come. "Are you conspiring against me?" She begged the spirits. She was beginning to think she and Jake were cursed. To make matters worse it started to rain. Bella scowled as she stumbled after Charlie, ruing the day that he decided to become a newer, more involved version of himself. She had to admit she was beginning to miss the old skinflint he used to be. If this carried on she would never get the chance to lock lips with Jacob.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	26. Chapter 26

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapters Twenty Six**

Jacob glanced in his dad's direction to check he was fast asleep. Billy's eyes were closed and his mouth was open as he snored softly. It was midnight. Charlie had long retired to bed. It was time to make his move. Jacob stood up and crept stealthily out of the lounge. He didn't make a single sound. His footfalls were silent. There was no way on earth anyone would be able to hear him leaving the room. It was a logistical impossibility.

"Where do you think you're going?" Billy's deep timbre came out of nowhere. "If you're thinking about sneaking up to Bella's room I'd think again."

"How?" Jacob demanded as he spun around to face his now very wide awake father. "You were asleep. I checked. Even breathing, slow heart rate, everything. So how?"

"A father knows." Billy tapped the side of his nose and gave Jacob a toothy grin.

Jacob scowled as he stomped back to his camp bed and threw himself down on it. It nearly collapsed under his weight. "Unbelievable." He folded his arms and glared crossly at his father who was chuckling under his breath.

"We are guests in Charlie's house. I'm not having you sneaking into his daughter's room in the middle of the night." Billy lectured him after he finally managed to compose himself. "You're not trying to do what I haven't already done in the past when I was courting your mother."

"TMI, Dad." Jacob snapped irritably as he put his hands over his ears. "Will you stop over sharing?"

"I never got caught." Billy boasted as if Jacob hadn't even spoken. "I planned things down to the last detail. One time I..."

"I'm not listening." Jacob growled as he stood up again. "I'm going out for a run."

"Don't go climbing that tree outside Bella's window either." Billy called out after his son's retreating figure.

"As if." Jacob retorted as he slipped silently out of the house and closed the front door quietly behind him. Seconds later he was indeed shimmying up the tree outside of Bella's window. There was nothing Billy could do to prevent him from getting access to Bella's room this way. That would teach him. Jacob knew his father was hardly likely to grass him up. He would want to avoid Charlie's wrath as much as anyone. Feeling pleased with himself he carefully jimmied open Bella's window and climbed inside. "I made it, honey." He whispered gleefully.

Unfortunately he was met with complete silence. Bella, exhausted after her long run with Charlie, was fast asleep. She had tried to keep awake by occupying her mind with reading, but her efforts had been in vain. She looked too peaceful for Jacob to disturb her so he had no choice but to go back the way he had come.

* * *

"Rise and shine." Charlie chirped as he whipped open Bella's curtains and let in the early morning sunshine.

"Huh?" Bella squinted in the bright light as she poked her head out from under the duvet. She didn't remember hearing her alarm go off. "What time is it?" She asked sleepily.

"Five." Charlie announced cheerfully.

Bella sat up and rubbed her weary eyes. "Five? Are you kidding me?"

"Up you get, Bells." Charlie sailed past and ruffled her hair. It was only then that Bella noticed that her father was wearing the same appalling tracksuit from the day before. Instead of a florescent yellow headband wrapped around his head, he had a bright blue one. "Come on, kiddo. The sun is out, the birds are singing. Early morning is the best time for a run."

"No way!" Bella groaned. "You're crazy if you think I'm..."

"Come on, sleepyhead. Remember what I said about exercise easing those symptoms of yours." Charlie pulled her duvet off and flung it to one side. He actually began to jog on the spot as if demonstrating how full of beans he was.

"Oh my god!" Bella cried. "Help me."

Charlie just laughed as he ruffled her hair again. "God can't help you, kiddo. But I know a man who can." He joked as he caught her hand to pull her out of bed.

* * *

"You weren't out for long last night." Billy said slyly at breakfast.

"Drop it, dad." Jacob muttered moodily as he spooned in his cornflakes. Charlie and Bella had been gone for two hours. He had asked to join them on their morning run but Charlie had insisted that it was father daughter time again. Bella looked done in even before they had left. He couldn't imagine how bad she would feel when she came back. If this carried on she would be too exhausted to interact with him at all. Damn Charlie and Billy.

"We're just doing this to help you know." Billy continued as he nodded his head wisely. "We're older, more experienced then you and Bella."

"Or maybe just dumber." Jacob snapped as he finished his cornflakes and dumped the empty bowl in the sink. "I'm going to have a shower."

"Make it a cold one. They're the best ones to cool down your frustration. I should know." Billy watched him go and shook his head as he continued to eat his breakfast. Jacob may not be listening now but he was sure he would take his advice eventually.

* * *

Bella was completely exhausted when she staggered back into the house. Charlie followed on all fours. He could hardly move. He crawled inside like a crab. "I think I've pulled a muscle in my back." He moaned. "I'm sure it will ease up by the time we leave in the morning."

"I...am...not...doing...this...again." Bella puffed. She turned on the tap and poured herself a glass of water. She chugged it down quickly.

"It's good for you." Charlie sounded like he was trying to convince himself as he hauled himself up into a vacant chair.

"No it's not. It's bad for you." Bella gasped as she fell into a chair beside him. Her hair was a sweaty mess. "I need a shower."

"The more we do it, the fitter we'll become." Charlie groaned as he stood up at an angle, holding his lower back. He hobbled to the fridge and pulled out a cold beer.

Bella gave him a sour look when she saw him pop the cap off the bottle. He was lecturing her about keeping fit and then coming back and having a beer for breakfast. "Hypocrite." She mumbled under her breath. She was too tired to call him out on it and was so desperate for a shower that she left him to his own devices.

* * *

Four beers later and Charlie was feeling on top of the world. He popped open another bottle and shared it with Billy. The two men had spent the last hour congratulating themselves on how well they were bonding with their offspring. Jacob had been forced to leave to join his brothers on patrol and Bella was in her room supposedly doing an urgent assignment for school, but instead she had fallen asleep at her desk as she grabbed a quick snooze.

"I tell you, Billy. I always thought those girly magazines that Ren used to buy were full of crap. But actually they have some really informative articles in them. I bought another one last night." Charlie passed the magazine to his friend. "Look it has a whole section on how to deal with horny teenagers." He laughed, the tips of his ears turning pink. "It took me a while to understand what horny meant. I tell you kids today speak a whole other language."

"They sure do, chief." Billy agreed as he began to examine the article with interest. His eyes bugged out with some of the advice. There was all kinds of contraceptive advice, including detailed pictures and confidential numbers to call as well as more spurious information. He turned the magazine around as he tried to work out what some of things actually were. "What on earth is that?" He asked Charlie in bemusement.

Charlie took the magazine from him. He squinted his eyes to read the small print. "Vibrator." He said slowly. HIs face reddened as he suddenly realised what he was looking at. He reached out and clutched Billy's hand. "Oh my god."

"What?" Billy shook Charlie's hand off irritably. "Why do you look like a boiled cabbage all of a sudden?"

"I've seen the exact same thing in Bells' room." Charlie whispered hoarsely.

"NO WAY!" Billy exclaimed loudly.

Charlie nodded vigorously. The beer had gone to his head and he wasn't thinking straight. It seemed his innocent little girl wasn't so innocent after all. He gulped. "What do I do, Billy? What am I supposed to say? I can't..." He groaned. "I thought Ren would have given her the talk but..." He couldn't go on.

Billy took a deep breath. He just couldn't imagine Bella having one of _those_ things in her room. It seemed impossible _. Not Bella!_ "Perhaps you should go and get the thing to make sure before you do anything." He suggested as he gulped down more beer.

"Yes...yes. That's what I'll do." Charlie declared, clutching at straws. "Good idea."

* * *

Charlie was now very tipsy. He'd had a few more beers to pluck up some courage. Bella's door was ajar. He could see that his daughter was face planted on her desk as she took a quick nap. Good, now was his chance. Charlie had spotted the _thing_ lying openly on her bedside cabinet. Jeez, she wasn't even hiding it. Charlie grimaced, he was getting very hot under the collar. He tiptoed into her room and held his breath as he quickly grabbed the _thing_ and hastily exited the room again. He held it gingerly between his fingers as he stumbled down the stairs. It didn't look exactly like the picture in the magazine but it was close enough. Maybe it was some supercharged version. Ugh, perish the thought.

When he returned to the kitchen he immediately passed it to Billy, who nearly dropped it in disgust. "Ugh." He muttered as he drank some more of his beer. He examined it carefully. "Where do the batteries go?" He wondered as he turned it upside down. There was a cap on the end. He twisted it and it came apart in his hands. "Oops." He looked toward Charlie and smiled sheepishly.

"Don't tell me you've broken it." Charlie grouched as he snatched it from Billy. He shook the thing and a gas cartridge fell out into the palm of his hand. "Huh?"

"Where did Bella get this thing? You're gonna have to talk to her, chief. It looks dangerous." Billy pretended to shudder. "Maybe it was a gift."

"From who?" Charlie snapped, his eyes narrowing.

"Jake said that Newton kid was sniffing around again the other day." Billy nodded sagely. He was feeling very lightheaded. He opened another beer to clear his head.

"NEWTON." Charlie said Mike's name like a curse. A steely glint lit up his brown eyes. "Of course. Who else could it be?"

"Not Jake." Billy shook his head. "My son is a good boy. He's as innocent as they come."

"He sure is." Charlie drunkenly agreed. He slammed his fist on the table. "After I've just had another little drinkie I'm gonna ring that boy's parents and let them have it with both barrels. The kid is depraved."

"That he is, chief." Billy slurred.

"He is." Charlie's mouth thinned. "In fact I'll ring them right now."

"You do that, chief." Billy egged him on.

"I will." Charlie said firmly. He staggered to his feet and reached for the phone. Mike Newton was not going to get away with corrupting his little girl.

* * *

An hour later Bella woke up feeling thirsty. Her neck was aching from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. She cursed Charlie under her breath. Because of his insane attempts to bond she had been too exhausted to complete her assignment. She walked down the stairs, immediately heading for the kitchen. She was greeted by the sight of the two men fast asleep at the table. They were snoring heavily. Charlie was actually drooling. In one hand he was clutching the house phone and in the other he was holding her cordless straighteners. The end cap had been pulled off and the gas cartridge taken out.

"What the hell have they been doing now?" Bella muttered as she put her hands on her hips and surveyed the mess in disbelief.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	27. Chapter 27

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Seven**

Bella slammed the plates on the table earning herself a collective groan from the old men still nursing their sore heads. "It's your own fault." She snapped at both of them. "This is what happens when you have beer for breakfast." She shot her father a fierce glare before she looked toward Billy. "And you shouldn't be drinking at all." She reminded him pointedly. "You are still in recovery."

"I know." Billy rubbed his aching forehead. "You're right, Bella. I've been a silly old fool."

"No, this is my fault." Charlie shook his head and then regretted it as the dwarves chipping away at the inside of his skull intensified their efforts to kill him. "Oh, god." He moaned sorrowfully. "Can you pour us some water, kiddo? My throat feels dry and scratchy."

Bella muttered under her breath as she poured two glasses of water, one for Billy as well. She set the water in front of the two men before sitting down at the table opposite her father. "You owe me a new pair of straighteners." She said irritably.

"Huh?" Charlie had no idea what she was talking about. His mind was fuzzy. He couldn't remember anything at all.

"You broke my straighteners." Bella held them up in front of her so Charlie could get a closer look. "What the hell were you doing with them anyway?"

Charlie squinted at the odd looking cylindrical object with dangerous looking pincers and shrugged. "I don't even know what they are." He was completely mystified. "They're nothing to do with me." He looked toward Billy for help, but his friend appeared as confused as he was.

"You were holding them in your hand along with the house phone." Bella looked at the bewildered men suspiciously, but they just gazed back at her with blank expressions. "Are you telling me you can't remember?"

"No." Charlie shook his head in denial and groaned again as the dwarves began to chip away at his remaining brain cells.

"You are unbelievable." Bella snapped again in exasperation as she swept out of the kitchen in disgust.

The two men stared after her feeling completely bemused. "Do you remember anything, Billy?" Charlie whispered hoarsely.

"Nope." Billy whispered back. He scratched his chin as he tried to get his foggy brain to work. Neither of the men noticed the abandoned magazine that had started all the trouble lying open on the table between them.

* * *

It was late afternoon when Jacob came back from patrolling with his brothers. It had been a quiet few hours. The pack had spotted nothing untoward. The redhead was keeping her distance for now. He had just reached the front porch when a delivery van pulled up outside the Swan's house. Emblazoned on the side of the vehicle were the words _'Jo's Florists_.' His curiosity piqued, Jacob waited for the driver to climb out.

"Are you Charles Eugene Swan?" The driver called out when he spotted Jacob standing on the porch.

"Nope." Jacob shook his head. "But he does live here." He pointed toward the house. "Give me a sec and I'll get him for you."

"Thanks." The driver pulled a pencil out from behind his ear and picked up his paperwork.

Jacob wondered what Charlie had ordered now. Had he bought Bella some flowers? Maybe he was trying to suck up to her after taking her on all those long runs. Jacob knew this gesture would fall flat. Bella wasn't a flowers type of girl. He let himself inside. "Hey, Charlie, you've got a delivery." He called loudly.

"Keep it down, kid. Ugh." Charlie came stumbling out of the kitchen nursing his head.

"What's wrong with you?" Jacob noted the police chief's waxy complexion.

"Nothing." Charlie muttered. "What are you shouting about?"

"You've got a delivery." Jacob said again, quieter this time.

"I haven't ordered anything." Charlie wrinkled his brow in confusion.

"The driver asked for you." Jacob shrugged, already losing interest. He just wanted to see Bella. He glanced longingly up the stairs. She must still be in her room. "He gave your full name too. Charles Eugene Swan." Jacob snickered as he said the name Eugene.

"What's so funny?" Charlie grouched irritably.

"Nothing." Jacob tried to hide his smile.

"Sure." Charlie shot him a dark look as he made his way outside. The bright light stung his eyeballs and he was forced to squint. "You've made a mistake." He called out to the delivery guy. "I haven't ordered anything."

"That's not what the paperwork says." The driver approached Charlie, pointing at his name written in bold black ink. "That's you, isn't it."

Charlie scowled as he read his full name. "This must be a joke."

"Joke or not, the delivery is all yours." The driver shoved the pencil behind his ear again and marched toward the van. "I've gotta say this is the most unusual bouquet I've been asked to deliver. The florists had a hard time keeping a straight face as they made this up. It took them a while to get the shape straight. But I'd say they've done a good job, don't you." He chuckled as he opened the van's doors to reveal a huge bouquet of flowers in the shape of a torpedo. It reminded Charlie of the contraption Bella had accused him of breaking. His mouth gaped open as the delivery driver pulled out the hideous bouquet and dumped it on the driveway. "There's a card too." The driver pointed out. "They made sure to write out exactly what you quoted."

Charlie had developed a twitch. He took the white card from the delivery guy and forced his eyes to focus as he scanned the contents.

 _"To Mike Newton, you are depraved to your very soul, with much love Charles Eugene Swan. XXXXXX."_

"Is it for your boyfriend, sir." The delivery driver gave Charlie a toothy grin and winked slyly. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." His gaze flicked to the house when Billy appeared unexpectedly in the doorway. His eyes bugged out of his head when he saw the huge bouquet of flowers standing proudly in the driveway. The delivery guy chuckled again. "Is that Mike?" He elbowed Charlie playfully. "It looks like your surprise paid off. Have fun!"

Charlie didn't even hear the driver's comments. He had just seen the cost of the special order he had supposedly placed earlier that day. It had been sent on express delivery. His face reddened alarmingly as he looked up, ready to let the cheeky driver have it with both barrels. But he reacted too late. The driver was already back in his van. He waved out of the window at Charlie as he pulled away, still laughing.

* * *

Jacob and Bella looked at each other then at the weird looking bouquet that Charlie had forced Jacob to haul inside. They couldn't decide whether it was supposed to represent a spaceship or something else that they really didn't want to think about. Charlie was gaping at it, his eyes twitching as he tried to comprehend what had happened. Billy was just as bemused. He kept scratching his head and shooting glances in his best friend's direction.

"And the card is addressed to Mike." Bella said yet again as she scanned the message for the umpteenth time. "To Mike Newton, you are depraved to your very soul, with much love Charles Eugene Swan." She read aloud.

"Will you stop quoting that thing at me." Charlie demanded hoarsely as he stared at the alarming bouquet.

"But why are you sending flowers to Mike?" Bella questioned.

"I'm not." Charlie hollered.

"Well he sent you flowers." Jacob pointed out mildly. "Maybe you thought it would be kind to reciprocate."

"That is not funny, Jake." Billy scolded his son when Charlie scowled in his direction.

"It was just an idea." Jacob held out his hands in supplication. "I'm trying to help."

"You must have done this when you were drunk. You had the phone in your hand when I found you." Bella put her hands on her hips and shook her head at Charlie. "But it doesn't explain why you are sending flowers to Mike and calling him depraved."

"I thought I could smell beer." Jacob interjected before Charlie had a chance to respond. His eyes narrowed in his father's direction. "You're not supposed to be drinking alcohol."

"Sorry, son. It was a temporary blip." Billy smiled sheepishly. "The chief and I were just kicking back and relaxing. It was only meant to be one then..." He shrugged helplessly.

Jacob and Bella exchanged another exasperated glance. The whole situation was bizarre. They were supposed to be the kids and instead they were parenting the olds. It was ridiculous. "That's a crappy excuse, dad." Jacob muttered in annoyance.

"I don't know what has been going on here." Bella took over from Jacob. "But you really need to grow up. And you still owe me a pair of straighteners." She directed this last bit straight to Charlie.

"This has already cost me a fortune." Charlie lamented mournfully. "What am I supposed to do with all these flowers?"

"Send them to Mike." Bella snapped. She didn't feel sorry for Charlie at all. It was all his own doing. "I'm sure that his depraved soul will love them."

With this parting comment she flounced out of the room followed by a disgruntled Jacob.

* * *

Jacob lounged on Bella's bed as he watched her type up her assignment. She was so beautiful. He loved the way her lips pursed and her brow furrowed when she was deep in concentration. Occasionally she would wet her lips to moisten them. When she did this his heart would skip a beat as his eyes became welded to her mouth. He was so desperate to kiss her delectable lips. He didn't think he could wait much longer. He was fighting the urge to just grab her right now and kiss her until she couldn't breathe.

"We're gonna have to do something about our dad's." Bella's sudden declaration broke Jacob out of his lustful thoughts.

"Like what?" Jacob cleared his throat as he tried to concentrate.

"They need something to distract them. On their own they're bad enough, but together..." Bella tapped her pen against her chin as she mulled over what to do.

"They need a good woman to kick their asses like you kick mine when I've done something out of line." Jacob teased her playfully. He didn't expect Bella to take him seriously, but when he saw her face brighten he sat up, shaking his head. "No, Bells. No way." He protested.

"Yes, way." Bella rubbed her hands together smiling wickedly. "It's time our dad's dipped their toes in the dating pool again. It will focus their attention away from us."

"What do you have in mind?" Jacob questioned dubiously.

"I'm gonna find our dad's some dates." Bella announced, laughing gleefully.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	28. Chapter 28

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Eight**

Bella and Charlie were out for their usual early morning run. Despite Bella's continuous protests, her father insisted it was good for both of them and gave them a chance to spend some quality father/ daughter time together. After a couple of weeks Bella had to grudgingly admit she did feel a little fitter. Her muscles didn't ache so much afterward and she was definitely steadier on her feet than she used to be. So she had to concede there were some health benefits. The downside was having to run alongside Charlie in his appalling tracksuit. It was so outdated and attracted snickers from other early morning joggers or people passing by. Charlie was totally oblivious. Today he was wearing a fluorescent green sweat band wrapped around his head. Bella had no idea where he got his selection of headbands from. He must have a drawer full of them. He had a different colour for each day of the week.

Since her little talk with Jacob a few days earlier, Bella still hadn't had a chance to put her plan into action. The problem was a lack of suitable single ladies of a certain age. Forks was a small town. Unless she actually joined a dating agency and posted Charlie and Billy's profiles on-line, it was going to prove difficult. As far as Bella knew the only woman who had shown an interest in Charlie was Cora, the sweet waitress at the diner. But lately Bella had noticed that even Cora had given up on trying to gain Charlie's attention due to his lack of interest. It was frustrating to say the least. She complained to Jacob about it nearly every night. He had been trying to persuade her to give up on the idea, but Bella was determined to see it through. The old men needed something else to focus on other than them. It was getting harder and harder for Jacob and Bella to spend quality time together without their dads interfering. In the end even Jacob came around to Bella's idea after another embarrassing pep talk from Billy only that morning.

"Find him a woman." Jacob had complained to Bella before he left to meet his brothers on patrol. "I don't care who it is. But just get him off my case."

"Done." Bella was full of determination. There had to be someone out there who would be interested in them. The only problem was that Charlie and Billy came as a package these days. They were confirmed bachelors and set in their ways. It would have to be a strong woman to prise these two old pals apart. They were more married then most married couples.

In the end it was the early morning runs that proved fortuitous. Bella noticed that Charlie and his alarming outfit had attracted the eye of a set of twins who also went jogging every morning. Bella knew who they were. They were well known in the area. The ladies were notorious. Everyone referred to them as the Bishop twins. Sadie and Serena Bishop had lived in Forks all their lives. Their parents had died years ago and they had been left a healthy inheritance. The twins had never married, but over the years had left a trail of broken hearts behind them. They were sixty five now. Perhaps a tad out of Charlie and Billy's age range, but Bella mused what did twenty or so years matter when you were desperate. They clearly still had life in them. Maybe they had overdone it on the old plastic surgery a bit. Years of worshipping the sun in foreign parts had taken its toll on their skin. Sadie had just had an acid peel and was an alarming shade of red at the moment, but her sparkling blue eyes more than made up for it as she admired Charlie and his odd taste in fashion.

"Cooee, Chief Swan." Sadie called out that morning as Charlie and Bella puffed past them. "You are looking fine I must say. You agree don't you sister, dear." She whispered loudly to her twin, Serena, who nodded in agreement.

Charlie barely acknowledged them. "Can't stop now, ladies." He panted as he tried to jog past them. The twins bright pink tracksuits and flashy gold jewellery were hurting his eyes.

Bella decided it was a good time to stop. She pretended to groan and put her hands on her sides. "Wait, dad. I've got a stitch."

"Did you stretch properly before we left?" Charlie chided her as he jogged around her in a circle.

"Yes." Bella ground out.

The Bishop twins took this rare opportunity to capture the hapless police chief in their web just like Bella knew they would. She tried to hide her smile as her dad was suddenly surrounded by the perfumed ladies. His nose wrinkled and he grimaced as Sadie leaned close and put a very friendly hand on his chest. "I like a man who keeps fit." She chirped. "Don't you agree, Serena." She said to her twin. Serena nodded again eagerly.

"Um...it was nice chatting with you, ladies." Charlie said desperately as he stepped back from Sadie's pawing hand. "But I better keep going. Are you ready, Bells?" He barked at his daughter.

"Not yet." Bella could hardly breathe as she tried to stifle her laughter. She would never forget her dad's look of horror as the Bishop twins pulled him skilfully into their trap. Before he could save himself he found himself agreeing to accompany them on their next game of whist just to get rid of them.

"Bring a friend for Serena." Sadie giggled like a little girl. "I'm sure a man like you has plenty. See you tonight at six o'clock. We like our men to be prompt." She winked slyly before breezing off with her sister in tow.

"I feel much better now." Bella wheezed as she straightened up and joined her shocked parent. Charlie had gone an odd shade of green. His complexion now matched his ridiculous headband.

"I don't." Charlie spluttered. He put a hand to his head. "In fact I think I'm coming down with the flu."

"It's just nerves." Bella patted his arm consolingly. "I'm sure once you are on your date with Sadie that she'll make you feel a whole lot better." She assured him with a teasing smile.

* * *

"NO!" Billy stated firmly. "DEFINITELY NOT!"

"You're my plus one." Charlie growled. "You're my best friend and best friends are supposed to have each other's backs."

"Not this time, chief." Billy folded his arms stubbornly across his chest. "Anyway I'm still recuperating."

"You can recuperate right next to Serena Bishop as her date for the night." Charlie scowled. "Don't worry you won't have to talk. She sure doesn't. Her pesky sister, Sadie, does that for everyone. You can manage to sit there in complete silence can't you."

"Just call them and cancel." Billy said irritably. "Tell them you're ill. You look like you're gonna throw up."

Charlie drew in a sharp breath. "If I tell them that the old battle axes will be around here stinking of perfume and rubbing our sore heads and feet." He shuddered at the prospect. " Is that what you want? You know their rep, Billy." Charlie reminded him.

Billy couldn't disagree. The Bishop twins man eating reputation had spread as far as the reservation. He put his head in his hands and groaned. "Why do you keep getting us into these situations?" He moaned.

"It's nothing to do with me." Charlie refuted, feeling affronted. "I can't help it if I exude animal magnetism. That's what Bells says anyway."

Billy looked up sharply. "Bella said that?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Yes." Charlie replied testily. "She's proud of her old man."

"Yes." Billy drawled as realisation dawned. "I just bet she is."

* * *

Jacob ignored Sam's scowl as he crept out of the important pack meeting to answer his cell. It had been ringing insistently for the last few minutes. He ignored the comments of being whipped from his amused brothers. They all knew it was Bella. Jacob slipped outside and quickly answered the call.

"Hey, honey, I can't talk for long. Sam will explode otherwise."

"I've done it." Bella squealed on the other end.

"Done what?" Jacob couldn't help but grin at the excitement in her tone.

"Tonight we have the house all to ourselves." Bella revealed succinctly.

"Wow, how did you manage that?" Jacob was already beginning to count down the hours.

"I got our dads some dates." Bella laughed throatily.

"No way!" Jacob was shocked. "How did you swing that?"

"I'm a genius what can I say." Bella boasted. "So make sure you're not late, wolf boy." She purred. "I've already got the perfect menu planned to get your taste buds tingling." She flirted badly.

"You are just too cute." Jacob wished he could reach through the phone and give her a hug. But an annoying tap on his shoulder from Sam told him that his time was up. He sighed irritably. "I've got to go. I'll see you later, Bells."

"Bye, Jake." Bella cooed before ending the call.

Jacob turned to face his annoyed Alpha. Sam was shaking his head in disgust. "What?" He said, irritated.

"You've got a lot to learn, Jake." Sam replied cryptically. "A lot to learn."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I know this chapter is short but hopefully sweet, but boring work calls, sighs.**_


	29. Chapter 29

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Twenty Nine**

Charlie rooted around in his chest of drawers, searching. He knew it was in there somewhere. It had to be. He hadn't used the stuff in years. Not since he had begun to date Renee. After their first date he recalled her begging him not to wear the stuff again because of the potent smell. Renee had kept him at arm's length all night because of the overpowering stench. Charlie hoped it would do the same thing for him that evening on his unwanted date with the Bishop twins. The idea had occurred to him after he recalled Mike Newton drenching himself in aftershave. He was going to do the same.

"Aha!" Charlie grinned when he pulled out the old bottle. The label was peeling off but he could still make out the name. "Blue Lagoon." He read aloud. "Two dabs of this on your skin and it will make the ladies swoon at your feet." The blurb made him chuckle. How times had changed since he was young and on the dating scene. He left his room and headed down the stairs to show Billy.

* * *

"Not so fast, Jake." Sam clamped a hand on his shoulder as Jacob got ready to leave for his date with Bella.

"What?" Jacob spun around and glared at Uley. What did he want now? The others had already left. He hoped it wasn't another boring lecture about paying attention. Jacob was convinced that Sam loved the sound of his own voice.

"Emily wants a word." Sam said cryptically as he steered Jacob toward the cabin's large kitchen. It was the centrepiece of the property. Emily, just like Bella, loved to cook. It was also the pack's unofficial headquarters. There was always the enticing smell of something baking in the oven at all times of the day. Jacob relaxed as he breathed in the tempting aroma of muffins. Maybe Emily wanted to give him some to take back for Bella.

"Ah, Jake." Emily smiled with one half of her face as she wiped her hands on her apron. The scarred half stayed immobile, hidden behind a long swathe of black hair. "Take a seat." She gestured toward the table.

"Okay." Jacob pulled out a chair and sat down. He watched as Sam went straight to Emily and gently pressed soft kisses over her scarred cheek. He had to avert his gaze. There was something so melancholy about their affectionate displays.

"I'll see you later, Em." Sam whispered huskily as he kissed her one last time. He looked at Jacob sternly. "Your patrol shift starts at midnight. Don't be late."

"I'm never late." Jacob scowled at Sam, irritated by his harsh tone. He was finding it increasingly difficult to take orders from Uley. Whether that was because of his latent Alpha genes he didn't know, but Jacob knew that Sam was putting more pressure on him than the others as if to hammer home the point that he was the one in charge.

Sam didn't respond. Instead he gave Jacob another hard look before bidding Emily goodbye again. Emily's sad eyes never left Sam's back until he had closed the door quietly behind him. She sighed softly before joining Jacob at the table.

"He just worries you know." She defended Sam with a small smile in Jacob's direction.

Jacob didn't comment. He cared about Emily and didn't want to upset her. Instead he changed the subject. "What did you want to speak to me about?" He asked.

"Oh, yes." Emily brightened up. "Sam mentioned that you and Bella are planning a romantic date tonight."

"KInda." Jacob wondered where Sam's imprint was going with this. "It's a last minute thing. Bells' is gonna cook."

"And what are you going to wear?" Emily raised her eyebrows at Jacob's bare chest and cut off shorts.

"This I guess." Jacob scratched his head, confused by Emily's sudden interest in his attire.

An amused smile flickered across Emily's lips. "You can't go on a romantic date dressed as if you've just rolled out of bed."

"Bells won't mind." Jacob shrugged dismissively. "She's used to me being like this. Anyway I can't change until I get to her house anyway. All of my clothes are there."

"Oh, Jacob." Emily tried not to laugh. Sam had been right when he said that Jacob Black had a lot to learn. "You can use the shower. I'll find something of Sam's that you can borrow in the meantime."

"I'm bigger than Sam. Nothing will fit." Jacob didn't understand what all the fuss was about. He ran his fingers through his shaggy hair restlessly. He was itching to leave and head back to Forks. In his mind this was just another unnecessary delay.

"We'll make do." Emily said firmly as she rose gracefully out of her chair. "After your shower I'll cut your hair."

"There's no need." Jacob protested. He had secretly been growing his hair again because he knew that Bella liked it long.

"It won't take long." Emily chided him. She was in mother bear mode and in no mood to listen. "Hurry and jump into the shower, then we can get started."

There was no way that Jacob could refuse her. It would be like upsetting a kitten. He sighed heavily as Emily practically chased him to the bathroom.

* * *

"You have to be kidding me." Billy cried as he pulled out the stopper from the bottle and his eyes immediately began to water. The stench coming from inside smelled like someone had died. "I can't spend all evening breathing this in."

"You won't have to." Charlie growled, snatching the aftershave back from his friend. "One whiff of this and the Bishop twins will be flat on their backs. They'll be so desperate to get rid of us that I'm certain that we won't have to spend more than ten minutes in their company. Then we can come home and watch the Mariners game in peace."

The lure of watching his favourite team lose on the flat screen made Billy push aside his concerns. Charlie was right. One whiff of the strong aftershave would send the twins running off in the opposite direction, screaming. He watched his best friend drench himself in the potent mixture. Billy was trying not to gag as he did his best to hold his breath. Afterwards Charlie passed him the bottle. Billy's eyes were tearing up. He grimaced as he upended the bottle and poured it gingerly on his skin. The smell was awful.

"Jeez, I'm dying here." He coughed.

"Man up, Billy. We're doing this for a good cause." Charlie dabbed at his eyes, they were streaming.

"This better work, chief." Billy coughed again as he used up the last of the cologne and smeared it on his skin.

"It will." Charlie tried to sound convincing. "Even my animal magnetism won't be able to save this date once the Bishop twins realise how rank I smell."

Billy shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe that his friend had fallen for Bella's attempts to stroke his ego. She was up to something. She was very eager to get them out of the house. Which meant it must have something to do with his son. Billy smiled wryly. Well her plan was going to backfire spectacularly after he and Charlie returned from their dates unexpectedly early.

* * *

Bella recoiled as Charlie gave her a hug goodbye. She coughed, reeling away from him as the fumes from his potent aftershave burned her nostrils. "What the hell is that smell?" She cried as her eyes began to water.

"It's my aftershave." Charlie pretended to be offended. "It cost me a fortune back in the day. It was the number one bestseller in its time."

"My god, you were robbed." Bella held her nose as she warded him away when he tried to hug her again. "Don't come near me."

"Well that's nice, isn't it, Billy." Charlie said indignantly. "My own daughter can't even wish me a good evening."

"True." Billy played along with the police chief. He discreetly scratched his inner wrist. His skin felt like it had bugs crawling all over it.

"Have a good time." Bella coughed as she got another whiff of the appalling stench coming from the two men.

"That's better." Charlie's face relaxed into a pleased smile before he suddenly lunged toward Bella and pulled her into another hug, smearing her skin in the awful aftershave in the process.

* * *

Emily bullied Jacob into putting on the Hawaiian shirt. It was the only thing of Sam's that fit his upper torso. He groaned as he looked at himself in the mirror. The shirt was an off white and covered in palm tree prints. He knew that Bella would collapse with laughter as soon as she saw him in it. Emily had also cut his hair. Unfortunately the scissors were blunt and she'd had such a difficult time that the cut was all uneven. This was turning into a disaster.

"Don't you look handsome." Emily came up behind him and smoothed out some of the wrinkles in the shirt. "You be careful with this now. This is Sam's favourite shirt."

"Really?" Jacob sounded disbelieving.

Emily didn't notice. She had gone all dreamy. "This is the first present I bought for Sam. He only wears it on special occasions to keep it nice and fresh."

"I bet he does." Jacob mumbled under his breath. That sounded like an excuse for Sam not to wear the hideous thing. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. "Perhaps I shouldn't borrow it then if it means so much to you both."

"No." Emily smiled wistfully and patted his lower back. "You wear it. I'm sure it will bring you luck for tonight. It suits you."

"Thanks." Jacob said dubiously. There was no fighting Emily on this one. He could always rip if off when he was out of her sight. "Well I better go."

"I'll drive you." Emily offered. "You can't run off and phase, you'll just get all hot and sweaty and we don't want to damage the shirt." Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she left him to grab her car keys.

* * *

Charlie and Billy arrived at the Bishop sisters grand residence bang on time. Charlie reached out and rang the bell. The shrill sound made the nervous men jump out of their skin. "Dammit." Charlie muttered in an aside to Billy. He scratched his neck. He felt like he was crawling out of his skin. He noticed Billy doing the same.

"I'm breaking out in hives here." Billy said desperately as he scratched under the collar of his shirt.

"It's just because we're stressed." Charlie dipped a hand under his own shirt and scratched his stomach.

"More likely it's that darn aftershave." Billy griped as he tried to stop his eyes watering.

"Stop complaining. I can hear them." Charlie retorted irritably. He scratched his belly again.

The door finally opened revealing Sadie and her twin Serena. Both twins were dressed in some kind of ballroom outfits. Charlie was dazzled by the sequins on Sadie's dress. She squealed when she saw him, opening her arms to give him a hug. He tried to back away but she beat him to it, throwing her arms around him and giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek, leaving thick red lipstick smeared on his cheek.

"Oh my, you smell divine. Is that the old Blue Lagoon I can smell?" Sadie tinkled. "That is my most favourite cologne. It is so much better than the modern stuff." She pinched Charlie's cheeks as if her were a little boy.

Billy shook his head in disgust as he realised Charlie's plan had backfired. He felt eyes on him and raised his head to find Serena staring at him with her lizard like eyes. She smiled, clasping her hands together in glee. "Oh, hell." He thought to himself as he wriggled uncomfortably in his wheelchair. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Bella couldn't stop scratching. She'd already had two showers to try and relieve the itching, but nothing had worked. She was getting desperate now as she realised that she was having an allergic reaction to something. Her eyes were beginning to swell shut. "No." She moaned when she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Hives were forming on her cheeks and down the rest of her body. "This can't be happening. Not tonight."

The door banged downstairs signalling Jacob's arrival. She groaned in disbelief as she heard him call her name. She didn't want him to see her like this. Bella pulled her dressing gown over her head. "Don't come up here." She warned Jacob. "You can't see me."

"You might not want to see me." Jacob yelled back cryptically.

"Why?" Bella emerged from under her dressing gown as her curiosity was piqued.

"I've just escaped Emily's clutches." Jacob's voice got louder as he ascended the stairs. "She scalped me."

"Huh?" Jacob appeared in her bedroom doorway before she had a chance to hide under the dressing gown again. She saw his eyes widen in shock at her red face. "Don't. I look hideous." She exclaimed. She was about to hide in shame when she caught sight of the loud Hawaiian shirt Jacob was wearing. Her gaze travelled to his hair. He wasn't lying when he said Emily had scalped him. "Did she attack you?" She whispered in awe.

Jacob hardly registered her question. His nose wrinkled at the lingering after effects of Charlie's aftershave which had refused to wash off Bella's skin even after two showers. "Bells, honey, what's happened to you?"

"Our dad's, that what happened." Bella cried as she tried to hide her blotchy face. "Charlie hugged me while he was wearing his ridiculous aftershave. That stuff is so old I'm not surprised I had such a bad reaction." She wailed. "I tried to wash it off but it was too late. This is payback for me setting them up so we could have the house to ourselves. I look terrible."

"No, Bells, you look beautiful. Even with a red face." Jacob rushed to reassure her. He embraced Bella and pulled her onto his lap, while simultaneously holding his breath to stop himself breathing in the potent perfume still lingering on his sweetheart's skin.

"I feel awful, Jake. My skin is on fire." Bella whined piteously as she hid her face in the crook of his neck. "I had tonight all planned out, too."

"Aww, it's gonna be okay, honey." Jacob stroked the back of her head. "Maybe I should take you to the ER to get you checked out."

"Not the hospital again." Bella sobbed on his shoulder. She had spent half her life in them over the years with one malady or another.

Before he had a chance to respond Bella's cell went off. While she was still clinging to him like a baby monkey, Jacob reached out and grabbed hold of it. He saw Charlie's name flash up. "It's your dad." He told her.

Bella pulled her hot face out of Jacob's neck and pouted. Her eyes were tearing up and were stinging. "You better answer it, Jake. I doubt I would be able to keep my cool right now." She threatened.

"Okay." Jacob hushed Bella as he quickly swiped the screen and answered the call. "Hey, Charlie, it's Jake."

"Oh Jake." Charlie cried in relief. "Can you and Bells come to the hospital, son?"

"Why? What happened?" Jacob asked in alarm. All sorts of frightening scenarios went through his mind. "Is it, dad?"

"Well it's more like all of us." Charlie tried to explain. "I promise your old man's alright. Although I think he wants to hit me with a tire iron right now." Jacob heard Billy swearing in the background. He relaxed. If his dad had enough energy to cuss then he must be alright. "I'll tell you more when you get here, kid." He finished before saying goodbye and ending the call.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	30. Chapter 30

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty**

Jacob and Bella rushed through the hospital doors and headed straight for reception. Even though Charlie had assured Jacob that his dad was okay, he needed to see the proof with his own eyes. As they passed through the waiting area they heard Charlie hailing them. "Over here, kids." He waved at them frantically to get their attention.

Jacob spun around, his eyes immediately searching for his father. He saw Billy huddled up in his wheelchair, a thick blanket draped around his shoulders. He was shooting Charlie a death glare, which was probably because of the hives covering his face and neck. Charlie looked just as bad. The police chief's face was red raw. Jacob glanced down at Bella standing beside him. Compared to the two men she wasn't as badly affected by the allergic reaction. He could see that her skin was calming down. Her cheeks weren't so red now that she had taken the antihistamine tablets. He took Bella's hand and led her toward their fathers. Her smaller stature made it difficult to see above the other patients milling around in the waiting room.

"Thank god." Charlie cried in relief when Jacob and Bella joined them. When his eyes flicked to his daughter he gulped when he noticed the rash on her cheeks. "Oh, Bells, I didn't..."

"Just don't say anything." Bella interrupted him. "You'll only dig yourself a deeper hole."

Charlie, feeling deflated, sat down in a vacant chair next to Billy. "I never expected any of this to happen." He shook his head mournfully.

"Tell that to the Bishop twins." Billy said sarcastically. "They've already threatened him with a lawsuit."

"What?" Bella exclaimed. She stared at her dad in disbelief. "What did you do to them?"

"Nothing." Charlie shook his head again in denial. "The whole point of dousing myself in the damn cologne was to keep the damn woman away from me, but Sadie kept pawing at me all the time. Blue Lagoon is one of her absolute favourite aftershaves. It was her own fault that she had such a bad reaction to it."

"How bad?" Bella asked dubiously as she exchanged a worried glance with Jacob.

"Because her lips came into contact with this fools skin her mouth blew up like a fish after about twenty minutes. She couldn't speak and got so panicked we had to drive the mad woman straight to the ER." Billy said irritably before Charlie had another chance to defend himself.

"Jeez, dad." Bella sighed as she looked at her recalcitrant parent. Charlie was still refusing to take the blame. "How do you get yourself into these scrapes?"

"I didn't even want to go on the stupid date in the first place." Charlie complained. "It just happened."

"And you had to drag me along for the ride." Billy crossed his arms across his chest to stop himself from scratching his irritated skin.

"We all need to calm down. Remember you need to keep your stress to a minimum, dad." Jacob tried to act as peacemaker.

Billy wasn't in the mood to be lectured. His dark eyes narrowed as he studied his son curiously. He took in the hideous Hawaiian shirt Jacob was wearing and his odd haircut. "What the hell happened to you?" He demanded. "Did you have a fight with a petrol mower? It looks like you've run one right over the top of your head."

Bella tried to hide her laughter. Jacob was glaring at Billy indignantly as he gingerly touched the top of his head to check his shorn locks. As soon as this ridiculous episode was over she really needed to give him another trim to undo the damage Emily had inflicted.

"And did you get dressed in the dark, son?" Billy continued his rant. "Where on earth did you dig that shirt up from?"

"I borrowed it from Sam if you must know." Jacob defended himself.

"But what on earth for?" Billy questioned.

Jacob felt all eyes on him. Charlie was staring at him too, trying to stifle his laughter, which was a bit of a cheek considering the state of him. He looked toward Bella for help, but her head was bent as she tried to stem her own amusement. Jacob scowled. "It's none of your business. Are we going home now or what?"

Everyone's amusement died as they remembered why they were there. Charlie scratched his neck irritably. "I have to wait and find out if Sadie is alright." He said grudgingly. "I need to talk her out of this lawsuit."

"She probably just said it in the heat of the moment." Bella thought Charlie was making too much of it. "Why don't you just talk to the doctor who's treating her." She suggested.

Charlie suddenly looked uncomfortable. He exchanged a furtive glance with Billy. "Um...that may be a bit difficult, kiddo." He mumbled.

"Why?" Bella was getting really exasperated with him now.

"Just tell her, chief." Billy scolded Charlie.

"Okay." Charlie sighed heavily. "The doctor treating Sadie is Carlisle Cullen." He finally revealed guiltily.

* * *

Since her breakup with Edward, Bella had been avoiding contact with any of the Cullens. She had just wanted to make a clean break. She didn't think it was fair to Edward to still expect to hang around with Alice or any other member of his family as if nothing had happened. She knew that the only reason that the Cullens were still in Forks was because they were helping the wolf pack keep her safe from Victoria **.** If the red head wasn't a factor they would probably have moved on to a new location already. Their lives were on hold because of her and she felt ashamed. When Billy was still at the hospital she had only visited when she knew for certain that Carlisle wasn't on shift. It was a relief when Billy was finally discharged and she had no reason to cross paths with the good doctor at all.

"Are you okay, Bells?" Jacob asked her softy as he drew her to one side out of earshot of the two men.

"I don't know." Bella felt tearful. She wasn't ready for this and was angry at Charlie for putting her in this position. She knew that he hadn't done it purposefully but she couldn't help but be upset with him.

"I can drive you and my dad home right now. I can come back and keep Charlie company until he gets news about Sadie." Jacob offered. He didn't voice his concerns aloud but he didn't want Bella to see Carlisle either. He was anxious that it would stir up trouble. He didn't want that for Bella or himself.

"That makes me a coward." Bella swiped at her eyes before gazing up at Jacob's handsome face. He was worried and she knew why. Life had been running smoother since Edward was no longer coming between them. But it was obvious that Jacob was anxious that seeing Carlisle again would be too confronting. Bella placed a hand on his chest and looked at him imploringly. "I don't want to be a coward. I want to be strong. I can do this. I can."

"Okay." Jacob had no choice but to believe her because he knew that Bella was right. This was all part of her personal journey. She had grown so much since being brave enough to cut Edward loose. To walk out of this hospital now in case she saw Carlisle, would mean giving in to her fears, and in the end only hold her back.

* * *

Carlisle was unfailingly kind and considerate as he always was. He even offered to check them all over including Bella. He even failed to comment when she held onto Jacob's hand tightly when he did so. This only compounded Bella's guilt but she remained strong and didn't let her emotions overwhelm her. In fact she was secretly proud that she had faced the uncomfortable situation head on. Next time it wouldn't be so daunting. Carlisle told them he wasn't able to tell them about another patients medical condition, but he did hint that Sadie was just fine, probably overacting a little to gain as much attention as possible.

On the drive home Charlie couldn't stop apologising to Bella. He felt extremely guilty for not only making her suffer an allergic reaction too, but for putting her in such an awkward situation. Eventually Bella begged him to stop as secretly she knew that she was the one who had started it all in the first place. It was karma, that's what it was. Lying always came back to bite you on the ass in the end. But at least something positive had come out of it all. She had faced her fear and only come out stronger on the other side.

* * *

Jacob had to endure a lot of ribbing over his failed date. His brothers, eager for some gossip, delved into his mind and pulled out the truth about that night. Unfortunately they also found out about how he felt about being forced to wear Sam's hideous shirt. In retaliation his Alpha made his life very uncomfortable over the next few days. The only bright spots were the times he spent with Bella. It took her a few days to recover from her allergic reaction but when she did she was full of sympathy about how difficult he was finding it taking orders from Sam. She even sorted out his hair. She used the clippers to even out the differing lengths and assured him that it didn't matter whether his hair was long or short, she loved it just the same.

But still the two teens were getting increasingly frustrated with their inability to find some quality time alone. Other things were putting increasing pressure on their precious time. Bella's exams were drawing ever closer. She was spending more time at the library with her friends, studying. And when she was home she was typing up her assignments. Sam had also stepped up the patrols. Victoria was making increasingly more desperate forays onto the reservation as she tried to break through their lines. She was definitely up to something. Sam had a private meeting with Carlisle Cullen to discuss their next course of action. It was difficult to predict what the red head planned to do next. Alice was having trouble keeping tabs on Victoria, she kept changing her mind rapidly, throwing the little psychic off her game. So things were getting tense on all sides and Jacob and Bella were eager to let off some steam.

In the end the answer came from an unexpected source, Paul Lahote. Jacob had a fractious relationship with the most hot headed member of the pack. They were always butting heads in one way or another. Paul wasn't Bella's biggest fan and used every opportunity to get under Jacob's skin by making some kind of snarky comment about her. Today was no exception. Jacob was wired with tension and riled up to the max. He didn't think he could endure Lahote's company for much longer without attacking him. Then suddenly...

 _"You've got that empty house just sitting there and you haven't even taken advantage. You are such a tool."_ Paul sneered through the pack mind link.

Jacob's anger vanished as he let the obvious sink in. Jeez, how could he have been so clueless. He and Bella had been so obsessed with getting time alone at her house they had completely forgotten about his. If he could have laughed out loud in his wolf form, he would have. Instead he made an odd sound which was a mixture of a hacking cough and a strangulated howl.

"Dammit, Black, what is wrong with you?" Paul backed away from Jacob warily.

Jacob just barked another laugh at Lahote's dubious reaction. He couldn't care less about Paul. His mind was already far away as he planned another attempt at a romantic date with Bella, only this time he was certain they wouldn't be interrupted.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	31. Chapter 31

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you all very much for reviewing and following this quirky story!**_

 **Chapter Thirty One**

The house was a complete mess. Jacob sneezed as soon as he entered the small front room. Fine dust coated everything. He couldn't recall when he had last checked in on the place. He thought it might have been sometime before his dad was released from the hospital. That had been weeks ago. He was so comfortable living at the Swan's now that it felt weird being back home. The place felt lifeless, lonely. Jacob had learned that home had nothing to do with the four walls you lived in. It had to do with the people who occupied the space. He had to admit he wasn't looking forward to moving back to this place. It would be just him and Billy again. It would feel lonely, just like it had before. He didn't like to think of his father rattling around the place all alone while he was out patrolling. He had never really thought about what it must have been like for his dad before. No wonder he always seemed slightly depressed, even if he did try to hide it. And was another reason his health had continued to deteriorate to the point he had ended up in hospital.

Guilt weighed heavy on Jacob's heart as he wandered through the small rooms. The house was so tiny. When he opened his bedroom door it bumped into the side of his too small bed. There was hardly any floor space. How had he managed to fit in here. Long ago Bella had expressed how grateful she was to him for saving her from her deep depression after Cullen left her. Jacob knew she was giving him too much credit. In truth she had rescued him just as much as he had her. It was lonely living on the res with just his dad for company. His sisters had long gone, abandoning their baby brother to take care of their disabled father all by himself. Jacob had friends for sure. Quil and Embry were like his brothers. But still, they couldn't be with him all the time. They had their own lives, their own families and responsibilities. Of an evening it was always just him and Billy. Jacob loved his father dearly, but the responsibility of being his sole carer could be overwhelming at times, especially before he had gotten his driving licence.

Charlie and Harry had been around as much as they could. But still that didn't stop his inner loneliness. When Bella had sought out his company after her harsh breakup, she was like his light in the darkness. She was very sad and depressed, but even in this desperate state she was company for him during those long, lonely evenings they worked on the bikes together. Then, like a flower opening it's petals to the sun, she had slowly blossomed, overcoming her depression and deep anxiety to become his guiding light, his port in a storm. Jacob knew without her his life as a wolf would be intolerable. It was her acceptance of the monster inside of him that made him able to live with the two halves of himself. He was braver because she made him so. She understood him like no one else. She asked about his day and worried about him. She cared about and for him. No one else had ever done that before. He was always the one taking care of them. It was one of the many reasons that he loved Bella so much. She was an integral part of him and he knew he would be lost without her. It was why he had been so scared when the bloodsucker had come back into her life and laid claim to her heart again. It had devastated him, made him act out in ways he could never have imagined. During that dark time he thought he had lost her forever, but thankfully they had found their way back to each other.

Jacob shook himself out of his melancholic thoughts. He was supposed to be planning a romantic date, not brooding about the past. This was the future now and he was determined to focus on that. Jacob left his bedroom and returned to the main room. He turned around in a circle, trying to think how he could create some kind of romantic ambience. His dark eyes landed on the candles resting on the small coffee table and he smiled. That was a start. Candlelight was supposed to be romantic wasn't it. He could light them while they were eating their meal. Jacob's smile faded as the subject of food came up. Damn, he couldn't cook for toffee. His last attempt had proved disastrous. On their last attempt to have a date Bella was supposed to be cooking, but Jacob could hardly invite her to his house for a romantic meal and then direct her toward the stove and expect her to cook. He groaned in disbelief as he tried to work out what to do.

The only person who could cook as well as Bella was Emily. But after her last efforts to help him had gone south, Jacob was reluctant to involve Sam's imprint again. Which left him with little or no option but just to order take out. Which meant pizza. Hardly romantic but still safer than him trying to cook. He sighed irritably as he began to try and clear up the place. He wasn't domesticated at all in that respect. Billy used to tidy up the house inside during the day. Jacob maintained the outside. He was in charge of repairs. A lot of the time he had to be creative and salvage the parts he needed due to lack of money. Even now the outside needed painting again. He just hadn't had the time because he was constantly patrolling. Jacob felt his mood dipping again and he tried to shrug it off. Bella knew his situation. She wouldn't be expecting flamboyant gestures like the leech indulged in. He perked up and began to tidy up the house.

* * *

Bella was intrigued by Jacob's cryptic message to meet him at his house in La Push. This sounded exciting. He had been acting all mysterious the last couple of days when she had tried to rearrange their aborted date. He had told her to leave it all to him. It seemed he was putting his plans into fruition. Bella didn't mention to the olds what she and Jacob were doing. On the night in question she casually told Charlie that she was popping over to Angela's for a few hours to study together.

"You're a bit dressed up for just a study session at Angela's, aren't you?" Charlie asked suspiciously. He took in her pretty blue dress with the sweetheart neckline, which fell to her knees in a slight swirl. He was sure that his daughter was wearing mascara, and was that lipstick? Bella rarely wore makeup and dresses were usually an anathema to her. "Where are you really going, Bells?" He demanded.

"To Angela's." Two bright red spots coated her cheeks as she stumbled over her lie.

"I may have been out of the dating game for a while but I know..." Charlie began.

"Oh, give the girl a break, chief." Billy interjected quickly as he rushed to Bella's defence. "Have you thought she might just be trying out something new?" His dark eyes, so like his son's, sparkled with mischief.

"That's right." Bella stated firmly. "I'm trying something new."

Charlie wasn't going to be put off. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Are there going to be boys there? Is that why you're all dressed up. It's not that Newton kid is it?"

"It's not Mike." Bella protested indignantly. She couldn't believe it. Any other night of the week Charlie wouldn't have noticed if she had left the house completely naked. The one night she needed to slip out unnoticed and he was interrogating her like she was one of his suspects.

"Who is it then?" Charlie continued.

"I am not meeting a boy." Bella felt her face burn as she continued the lie.

"I am not a fool. It is Newton, isn't it? I thought we'd already established that the boy is depraved. I will not have you..."

"IT'S NOT MIKE IT'S JAKE IF YOU MUST KNOW." Bella yelled loudly in exasperation.

"Jake?" Charlie questioned. He immediately calmed down and settled back in his chair. "Why didn't you say so? Have fun."

Bella was bemused by his sudden change in mood. Was this another police tactic to undermine her. She looked at him warily, waiting for the punch line. There didn't seem to be one though. Charlie had picked up the paper now and was scanning the T.V. planner. "Well I'll be off them. See you both later."

"See you later, kiddo." Charlie waved absently without even bothering to look in her direction.

Bella just shrugged and waved at a smirking Billy before collecting her thick jacket and the keys to the truck on her way out.

* * *

Billy's smirk spread as he watched his friend read the paper. The chief really had no idea. In his head he thought that Bella was meeting up with Jake because he was her _friend_ and they were going out on another _friendly_ outing. Charlie was so clueless. Billy tapped his chin, wondering whether he should let his best friend in on the secret of what his not so innocent daughter and her not so innocent friend were up to. Billy was well aware that they were having a date.

"What's so amusing?" Charlie barked at him when he noticed the smug smile on Billy's face.

"Nothing, chief." Billy said vaguely.

Charlie looked at him suspiciously for a long moment before he resumed reading the paper. Billy just grinned. He had decided to give Jacob and Bella a couple of hours of peace before he let Charlie know just what they were up to.

* * *

Jacob was ecstatic. He had found a stash of wine in the kitchen cupboard. He didn't even know where it had come from. He didn't recognise the label on it, but that hardly mattered. Wine was wine as far as he was concerned it was all the same. They would only have one glass each. He popped the cork and nearly staggered back from the strong smell. His eyes watered as he wondered how old this wine was. It was really strong. Maybe he'd just give Bella a taste instead of a full glass. Jacob carried the bottle and two glasses to the table. In his eagerness to impress he had failed to recognise the potent smell of Old Quil's moonshine. Billy had been storing it for the elder in case his daughter in law got wind that he was making it again.

Jacob rearranged the place settings and lit the candles before dimming the lights. It was perfect, just what he had envisioned. He had already ordered the pizza which should be on its way and for dessert he had ice cream. He knew the menu wasn't gourmet, but it was the best he could do on a limited budget. In the distance he could hear the loud rumbling of Bella's old truck, signalling her arrival. Jacob felt his heart quicken. He felt so nervous and couldn't understand why. He checked his outfit again. He was wearing a smart pair of dark jeans teamed with a white shirt, unbuttoned at the neck and with the sleeves rolled up. Yeah, he was gonna have to do. Jacob checked his reflection in the hall mirror, fussing with his short hair for a moment before giving up and leaving it in its usual tousled state. Then, taking a deep breath, he grabbed the wildflowers he had picked for Bella and went to greet her at the door.

* * *

"Thank you." Bella gushed when Jacob thrust the pretty bouquet of flowers into her hands. She held them against her nose and breathed in their sweet smell. "They're lovely. You shouldn't have."

Jacob was at a loss for words. He couldn't stop staring at Bella. She looked so beautiful. Her pale skin was slightly flushed, enhancing her pretty brown eyes framed with those thick lashes of hers. She had pulled her long, chestnut brown hair into a high glossy ponytail on the back of her head. Her lips were shiny with lip gloss and parted in a sweet smile. Jacob was mesmerised as he admired her pretty blue dress revealing her shapely legs.

"You look great, Jake." Bella complimented him, breaking him out of his stupor.

"You look great, too." Jacob felt his skin heat up at his lame compliment. Why couldn't he get his mouth to work. She didn't look great. She looked stunning, beautiful. But he was suddenly too tongue tied to find the right words.

"Thanks." Bella's smile turned shy and she blushed slightly. "So...can I come in?" She asked.

Jacob groaned inside. He could have slapped himself. He was blocking the doorway and hadn't even invited her in. "Sorry." He mumbled as he stepped aside to give her room to get past him. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and smiled at her sheepishly.

Bella went straight to the kitchen to put the pretty wildflowers in some water. Jacob followed behind, his heart skipping a beat when she turned to give him that shy, adorable smile again. He grinned at her, still feeling lost for words. "I ordered pizza." He announced baldly after a few moments awkward silence.

"Pizza's great." Bella fiddled with the wildflowers, arranging them in a vase in order to distract herself.

"I got wine, too." Jacob continued desperately. He picked up the bottle and presented it to Bella proudly. "I thought it would make things more romantic, you know. I mean pizza's not romantic, but it's all I could get and when I found the wine, I..." Jacob knew he was babbling, but he couldn't seem to stop. "And the candles, they're great aren't they. I mean you always see those couples on the T.V. eating big meals with candles and I..."

"Jake, shut up." Bella giggled. He was so cute and adorable in his attempts to impress. "It's all good. I love the flowers. I love pizza. I love the wine. It's all perfect. Honestly, you can relax now."

Jacob knew he had sounded like an idiot. He felt his nerves ease as Bella floated toward him and reached up to cup his cheek in the palm of her hand. Her touch was cool against his hot skin. "This is just the way I imagined it." She said breathily, making his heart race again. She traced her thumb along his lower lip and Jacob felt like he wanted to explode. She was so sexy, so beautiful. He was dying to kiss her.

A knock on the door startled them both. The pizza had arrived. Jacob swallowed thickly as he stared deep into Bella's lambent eyes. "Hold that thought, Bells." He said huskily as he reluctantly left her to answer the door.

* * *

Charlie and Billy had just finished their own meal and were now kicking back and relaxing with a cold beer. "This is the life." Charlie smiled as he knocked his bottle against Billy's.

"True, chief." Billy took a sip of the cool liquid and smacked his lips together. "I wonder how Jake and Bella are getting on." He dropped in casually.

"Fine, I guess." Charlie shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Billy settled back in his chair and watched his old friend gleefully. Charlie still hadn't taken his none too subtle hint. He watched the police chief raise his beer to his lips. "We haven't heard from them so their date must be going well." He said nonchalantly.

"DATE!" Charlie exclaimed as he accidentally sprayed Billy with his beer. "WHAT DATE?"

Billy scowled as he wiped his face with the back of his hand irritably. HIs joke had clearly backfired. "Just ignore what I said." He muttered.

"I will not." Charlie thundered. "Tell me what you know."

Billy rolled his eyes. Bella's old man was going over the top again. "Jake and Bella are probably at my house right now getting it on." He said bluntly. "You must be blind if you haven't seen the sexual tension hanging over their heads the past few weeks."

"This is..this is...unacceptable." Charlie blustered as he stood up abruptly, accidentally tipping more of his beer over Billy.

"What's the big deal? Sit down you old fool. It's just Jake." Billy glared at the wet patch on his jeans. "He's just like his old man. He knows what he's doing."

Charlie glowered at Billy before grabbing the handles of his wheelchair and steering him hastily toward the front door. "Hey, what are you doing, chief? Where are we going?"

"To La Push." Charlie blazed as he grabbed the keys to the cruiser and bundled Billy out of the door.

* * *

Jacob poured the wine into the two glasses. It slopped out, looking more brown then red. "I've never seen wine that colour before." Bella said warily as she picked up her glass and swirled the contents in a circle.

"It must be one of those new fangled wine things." Jacob smiled encouragingly. The date had gone really well so far and he didn't want anything to spoil it. "We'll just have a quick toast and if you don't like it we'll chuck it down the sink."

"Okay." Bella caved in at the sweet look on his handsome face. He was just too cute to resist. She held up her glass and waited while he linked his arm around hers. She smiled softly. "You old romantic. Are we gonna take a sip of each other's wine?"

"Yeah, just like they do in those cheesy romance movies you like watching." Jacob returned her smile tenderly, his eyes twinkling.

"Here's to us." Bella toasted as she upended Jacob's glass and let the reddish brown liquid spill into her mouth. Jacob was doing the same. The strong alcohol hit the back of her throat, making her cough and splutter.

Jacob coughed too. He hit his chest from the after burn. His eyes watered. "This isn't wine."

"What is it then?" Bella wheezed. She swallowed thickly as she felt the hot liquid slip down the back of the throat. She coughed again, but was pleasantly surprised when she felt a small glow chase away the butterflies in her stomach. "You know this isn't so bad."

"Yeah, it's kinda cool." Jacob grinned at her. He knocked his glass against Bella's and they both drank some more. This time they were both ready for the after burn and they relaxed, waiting for more of the same warm glow. "Do you want some more?" He offered.

"Go for it." Bella held out her half empty glass.

Jacob nearly dropped the bottle when he saw Bella moisten her lips. He paused, holding his breath. "Bells." He whispered.

"Yes." Bella was caught by the sudden intense look in his dark eyes. Her glass started to shake in her hand and she was forced to put it down. The butterflies were back but in a good way this time.

"I really want to kiss you right now." Jacob confessed huskily.

Bella's lips parted in a nervous smile. "Me, too." She admitted.

Jacob put the bottle down and leaned across the table separating them. This was really going to happen. They were going to kiss. Any second now his mouth would land on hers and they would explode. His breathing became ragged as his eyes began to close in anticipation. Bella moistened her lips again and he nearly came undone. He could feel her breath ghosting across his skin and hear her heart rate increasing. His was doing the same. He feared his heart would jump out of his chest if he didn't get to kiss those delectable lips soon. Jacob saw Bella's eyes closing. Her thick lashes cast shadows on her pale cheeks. She was so beautiful, her scent so intoxicating. Jacob's face drew closer to hers. He cradled the back of his head, his mouth hovering above hers. This was really going to happen at last.

 _That was right before his sensitive ears picked up the sound of the front door handle beginning to turn..._

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! Aha, who is it?**_


	32. Chapter 32

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Two**

Bella waited and waited for Jacob to close the gap and kiss her, but nothing happened. She opened one eye to see what was taking him so long only to find him turned away from her and scowling at thin air. Bella sighed, opening her remaining eye. She pouted, irritated at him and also a little hurt. They had been building up to this moment for so long and he had ruined it.

"I want to go home." She muttered.

"What?" Jacob turned back to face her. His scowl faded to be replaced with panic. "No, Bells, don't leave. Can't you hear it? Someone is coming in."

This time it was Bella who panicked as she looked back at Jacob in alarm. "Who is it?"

"Just stay here." Jacob warned her. He touched her face gently before quietly sneaking out of the room and heading for the hallway.

Bella was on tenterhooks waiting for him. Who the hell could it be? No one knew they were at the house. All she had told Charlie and Billy was that she was meeting up with Jake. She hadn't told them where. It was baffling and a little bit scary. Everything seemed deathly quiet, she couldn't hear a thing. Bella held her breath, trying to calm her racing heart. It sounded loud in the tense silence. She wished Jacob would hurry up and return and put her out of her misery. It seemed an age until he did. Eventually she heard hushed voices, she had to strain her ears to hear. Was that Seth Clearwater?

Her curiosity piqued Bella decided she couldn't wait any longer. She followed Jacob into the hallway, making much more noise than he did, and disturbing the two boys who were deep in conference near the front door. They turned to face her. So it was Seth. She gazed at the tense face of the youngest Clearwater sibling before she turned her attention to Jacob. His tender expression from moments before was gone. He was all seriousness now. That could only mean one thing.

"It's Victoria isn't it." She whispered forlornly.

Jacob was by her side in an instant. He put his arms around her and cuddled her against his hot body. Bella closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his chest. She could hear his heart pounding strongly under his skin. She breathed him in and tried to quieten her fears. "I have to go, Bella. Somehow she managed to break through our lines. Sam and the others are chasing her now. He sent Seth back here to warn me and also keep you company while I'm gone." He pulled away briefly and cupped her face in his hands. "Please try not to worry." Jacob smiled softly as he leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was feather light and too brief, but with a promise of more to come. Bella's lips were tingling when he reluctantly let go of her and stepped back. "Take care of her, Seth." He said sternly to the young boy.

"I promise." Seth vowed.

Jacob looked at Bella again with his heart in his eyes. He gently brushed a wisp of her hair out of her anxious eyes before backing toward the door and finally taking his leave.

* * *

When Bella felt stressed she cooked. And Seth was a willing recipient of her efforts. She had raided the Black's cupboards and cobbled together what she could find into an edible meal. Throughout she kept taking sips of the strange tasting wine. She had to admit it did soothe her nerves. By the time she had finished cooking she was feeling quite lightheaded. She sat opposite Seth and cradled her chin in her hands, with her elbows resting on the table while she watched him eat.

"Does that taste nice?" She said a little dreamily as she smiled at his eager expression.

"Thanks, Bella. This is great." Seth blushed slightly as he returned her smile shyly.

"That's good." Bella was thinking of Jacob. It should be him sitting here not Seth. She felt tears well in her eyes and she tried to blink them away.

Seth paused in his eating. He could see the moisture gleaming in Bella's eyes. It was clear she was upset. Seth resumed eating slowly, not really sure what to do. Whenever he had come across his sister Leah in the same state she had barked at him to keep his distance when he tried to offer some comfort. It made him wary around other females. He watched Bella raise the wine glass filled with the reddish brown liquid to her lips. A tear had escaped her eye and was rolling down her cheek. Seth couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Are you okay?" He asked cautiously.

"You're a good boy, Seth." Bella whispered as she took another sip from her glass. She licked her lips making them gleam.

Seth felt a bit deflated by her supposed compliment. It was something you would say to an obedient dog. He definitely wasn't that. He was still only fifteen but he was nearly a man. He tried to make himself look more intimidating by squaring his shoulders as he tried to impress his crush. "Don't worry, Bella. I can protect you." He announced stoutly.

Bella squinted at him as she took another sip of her drink. He was such a sweetheart. "You're so adorable." She reached out and ruffed his hair like you would a five year old.

Seth tried again. "I'm really strong you know. I can hold my own in a fight." His expression turned sullen. "It's Sam who's holding me back."

Bella shook her head, trying to clear it. She was concerned that Seth was so eager to go out and prove himself. Sam was right to keep him away from the action, he was too young to be involved. But then again, all of them were. But at least they had gained some experience. Seth was too sweet and innocent and also had an overprotective big sister who must had impressed upon Sam that she would be pissed if Seth wasn't kept safe.

"I can see that you're strong." Bella tried another tack to distract Seth. She smiled kindly. "I'm glad you're my protector tonight. Thank you, Seth."

Seth practically beamed with pride at her praise. His crush went up a notch. He started to eat again, practically shovelling the food in and barely taking time to swallow. Bella hid her smile as she got up and began to dish up some of the ice cream that she and Jacob had not had time to eat. It was when she placed the bowl in front of Seth, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder squeezing it in delight, and smiling fondly at his happy expression, that Charlie and Billy decided to make their dramatic entrance.

* * *

Charlie had managed to hype himself up on the journey to La Push. Billy's blundering attempts to calm the police chief down had only resulted in winding him up further. Charlie was imagining all sorts of scenarios which were only further heightened when he saw Bella's old red Chevy parked proudly outside the Black's little redwood house. He saw this as another sign of guilt. He skidded to a halt, leaving long tire tracks in the mud. Billy glowered, annoyed when his seat belt cut across his chest as he was jerked forward. Charlie was acting like one of those cops in the old cop shows from the seventies. He could even be mistaken for one with his moustache. Billy watched Charlie climb out of the cruiser, hitching up his trousers as he did so. Within moments he had the wheelchair out and a complaining Billy deposited in it. His adrenaline rush had made the transition smoother than it would normally have been.

"You're just making a fool of yourself." Billy scolded Charlie as his friend pushed him toward the front door.

"We'll see." Charlie growled as he shoved the door open without preamble and marched inside wheeling Billy in front of him.

What neither of them were prepared for was to find Bella with an affectionate hand on young Seth Clearwater's shoulder, smiling deeply into his eyes. Not only that but Seth seemed to have lost his shirt. He was wearing nothing but a pair of cut off shorts which hung low on his hips. He was looking adorably back up at Bella, that was until the two men blundered in and startled the poor kid. It looked like they had interrupted a romantic date. Bella was feeding the boy ice cream. There was no sign of Jacob at all.

* * *

Charlie's twitch was back. He tried to contain it as he stared at the opened bottle of moonshine lying on the table. He could smell the strong alcohol a mile off. He couldn't believe it. Bella hadn't been going to meet Jacob. She had snuck off to meet Seth. Not only that but she had used the Black's empty house for her illicit little rendezvous. He tried to wrap his head around it as he glared at an uncomfortable looking Seth Clearwater. One glance at Billy told him that his friend was just as confused as he was.

"What are you doing here?" Bella demanded at she glared at the two men. Two bright red spots bloomed on her cheeks, making her look guilty even though she wasn't.

"What are you doing?" Charlie threw back at her. He turned his fiery gaze onto Seth. "Put a shirt on, boy." He snapped.

"I...I...don't have one." Seth wilted under the police chief's harsh glare.

"I thought you were meeting up with my boy." Billy said in disbelief as he looked at Bella in confusion.

"And you've been drinking." Charlie snatched the bottle of moonshine and held it up in front of Bella accusingly before his eyes shifted to Seth again. "Did you bring this with you? I know Bells wouldn't have had access to this."

"Um...chief." Billy cleared his throat awkwardly. "That might be the batch I was storing for Old Quil." He confessed.

Charlie turned his steely gaze on his best friend. "And you left it here for the kids to find."

"I'm not a kid." Bella interjected angrily.

"Well he is." Charlie retorted as he turned to glare at Seth again. "I thought I told you to put on a shirt."

Seth jumped up from his seat nervously. He looked at Bella for help. Her face had gone red and she looked like she was about to explode. "Go to Jake's room, Seth. I'm sure he's got an old shirt lying around somewhere." She said to the boy as calmly as she could.

Seth was glad of any excuse to leave. He hurried from the room, giving Charlie and Billy a wide birth as he did so. Bella was left alone with the two men. She was shaking slightly as she tried to stifle her anger. "I can't believe you've just barged in here accusing me of god's knows what."

"Billy told me you and Jake were here." Charlie blustered. The red mist had gone from his eyes and he was now feeling foolish.

"So what if Jake and I are here. It is his house. I told you I was meeting him. What is the big deal?" Bella snapped.

"He...I...he..." Charlie couldn't find the words to defend himself. He gave Billy a death glare before returning his attention to his glowering daughter. "This doesn't explain the moonshine you've been drinking. Or why Seth is here instead of Jake. None of this makes sense."

"Where is Jake, Bella?" Billy interjected quietly. He was frowning now as worry crept in.

"Sam needed his help with something. He sent Seth with the message as he couldn't get in touch with Jake because his cell was turned off. Seth offered to keep me company until Jake returned. As a thank you I cooked him something." Bella's tone was hard as she directed her answer to Billy before her glaze flicked to Charlie. "As for the moonshine I didn't know that's what it was. Jake and I thought it was wine. I mean it is in a wine bottle."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. This is all my fault." Billy apologised. HIs face was ashen. He understood the severity of the situation now. He was angry at himself for winding Charlie up in the first place. HIs son was out there with the others facing untold peril. He swallowed thickly and looked up at his confused friend, Charlie stared back at him waiting for some kind of explanation. "I went too far, chief." He confessed. "I guessed that Jake and Bella were probably meeting up here, but it's all innocent. I was just pushing your buttons for a laugh."

"A laugh." Charlie echoed him incredulously."I can tell you I don't find any of this funny."

"I know." Billy replied earnestly. "It's not."

"You've made me look a fool." Charlie continued bitterly. He did little to hide his hurt.

"You made yourself look a fool, dad." Bella said before Billy had a chance to respond. "I really thought you trusted me, but it's clear that you don't. I'm not a child anymore. I'm old enough to date who I want to, when I want to. You have to stop seeing me as a little girl. I grew up a long time ago."

"I know that, kiddo." Charlie knew he had screwed up royally. He didn't know what he had been thinking. He just felt so protective toward her, especially after everything she had gone through with Edward, than her mother. "I do trust you. I've just tried to be more involved in your life. I was too scared in the past to intervene and tell you what I thought because I was so worried about losing you again. Cullen hurt you badly and I stood back and let it happen even though I never trusted the boy." He shook his head as if to clear it. "Maybe I've gone too far the other way. I just don't want to let you down again. I love you, Bells."

His impassioned speech really got to Bella. She felt her anger seep away. "You're not gonna lose me, dad. I promise. But you have to let me make my own decisions."

"I'll try harder." Charlie approached Bella and have her a gentle hug. "I promise, too."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! This chapter turned a little more serious than I intended, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway.**_


	33. Chapter 33

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Three**

It was another frustrating night of chasing shadows. The red head had an uncanny ability to evade capture. At one point Jacob chased her right to the top of the cliff, he was snapping at her heels, certain that he would get her this time. But Victoria knew what she was doing. She smirked at him, her fiery red curls blowing in the wild wind as she dived off the cliff top into the roiling sea below. Jacob returned to the Swan's house in the early hours of the morning feeling hugely disappointed with himself. He felt he had let Bella down. He remembered the fear in her eyes when he had left her. He had so wanted to be able to give her the news that it was all over, that Victoria had been dealt with, and he had been the one to do it.

Before he went inside the house he checked in with Seth who was guarding the outside. The young shifter was still on full alert, even hours after first being left alone to guard Bella while they concentrated on Victoria. Jacob expressed how proud he was of him and Seth glowed under his praise. The youngest Clearwater also filled him in on what had happened during his absence. Jacob was shocked to learn that Charlie and Billy had rocked up in La Push not long after he had left Bella and Seth to join the pack. It seemed there had been misunderstandings on all sides, he was just thankful that everyone seemed to have come to an understanding. Jacob hoped that Charlie and Billy would keep their word and stop interfering.

Eventually Seth left to go home while Jacob headed inside. He made no noise as he went straight to the lounge to crash for what was left of the night. He was surprised to see a lamp on and that his father was still awake. Billy had his reading glasses perched on the end of his nose as he read a book. He took them off when Jacob came in. The relief in his eyes when he saw his son was unharmed was palpable. "I've been so worried."

"I'm okay." Jacob sat down on his camp bed and turned to face his father. Billy had closed the book and was looking at him expectantly. "There's no news. She got away again." He couldn't hide the bitterness in his tone.

Billy folded his reading glasses back into their case. "I hope you're not blaming yourself for that." He said meaningfully.

"I was so close." Jacob banged his fist on his knee in frustration. He saw his dad's eyes widen and he tried to calm down. "I am just so tired of this life, dad." He admitted.

"I know." Billy replied huskily. "And I also know that Bella's old man and I have been making things even more difficult for you lately. I'm sorry about that."

Jacob was surprised at this candid admission. "What does that mean exactly?" He asked cautiously.

"It means that the chief and I are going to give you kids some space to do your thing." Billy's smile smoothed out the heavy lines on his face. "In fact you'll have the house to yourselves tonight."

"Really?" Jacob perked up at this welcome news. "Are you going on another fishing trip?"

"Nope." Billy's smile turned into a smirk. "We're going speed dating."

* * *

"Speed dating?" Bella exclaimed when Charlie shared the same news with her the next morning. "You can't be serious."

"I'm perfectly serious." Charlie replied indignantly. He was a bit offended that Bella seemed so shocked that he would even comprehend such a thing. She had been very supportive when he was going on the unwanted date with the Bishop twins.

"But why? Why now?" Bella couldn't understand it and therefore was suspicious.

"Me and Billy decided we needed another hobby to distract us from your love lives and it made us think about our own. Do you know he's never been on a proper date since Sarah passed? And since your mother left I've not dared to look at another woman." Charlie squared his shoulders. "It's time we dipped our toes back into the dating pool and this speed thingy seemed a fun way to start."

"Who's organising this thing?" Bella felt very dubious about the whole thing. She could think of nothing worse than sitting in front of a complete stranger for three minutes and talking about yourself. It would be her worst nightmare. She couldn't believe the olds were even considering it.

"Don't get het up but Mike Newton's mom is the organiser." Charlie revealed.

"Mrs, Newton!" Bella gasped incredulously. "Mike's mother! She won't let you attend, especially after what you said about her son."

"That's not true." Charlie blustered. His cheeks reddened slightly. "Diane was the one who called to tell me about it. She was ringing around the local townsfolk trying to recruit as many eligible bachelors as possible to attend. She remarked that I was the top of her list as I'm one of the prime candidates. She mentioned my animal magnetism just like you did." He coughed in embarrassment as a sheepish smile crossed his face. "She confided that I'm regarded as quite a catch around here. I had no idea I was so popular among the ladies."

Bella groaned internally. It was so obvious that Diane Newton was trying to butter Charlie up, but her clueless father had fallen for what had essentially been her sales patter. There were probably loads of single ladies of a certain age dying to attend and snare an eligible bachelor and of course her dad was going to be a prime target. He still had his hair and own teeth. He had a steady income and his own house. The question was what was she going to do about it.

* * *

"We've got the house to ourselves tonight, Bells." Jacob wanted to do a happy dance. Instead he smiled gleefully as he gazed at her, his dark eyes sparkling with anticipation. "And the olds have promised not to gatecrash. They are actually gonna give us some space. They'll be at that speed dating thingy until at least midnight."

Bella winced. She hated to rain on his parade but had no choice. There was no way she was going to let her innocent old man fall into the clutches of some rabid singleton. He needed looking after and so did Billy. They had been out of the dating game so long they had no idea how dangerous it could be. "Jake, I'm sorry but we won't be able to continue our date tonight. We have other plans."

"Huh?" Jacob's mood plummeted. "But why?"

"I volunteered our services to help host the speed dating event. Mrs, Newton was recruiting assistants to help the thing run smoothly." Bella said hastily. She hoped the quicker she said it the less awful the prospect would sound.

"BUT WHY?" Jacob questioned even louder. He shook his head in disbelief. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"

"Our olds are like babes in the woods." Bella gazed up at Jacob imploringly from under her thick lashes. "We can't let them go out into the big wide world on their own. They are utterly clueless. My dad actually fell for all that spiel that Mrs, Newton fed him. He thinks he some kind of Lothario now. He's even gone to the barbers to get his moustache trimmed. That's how serious he is about making an impression."

"Oh hell." Jacob muttered.

"Now you see." Bella continued hopelessly. "He's taken your dad with him so that Billy can get the grey streaks in his hair dyed for the special occasion and they're both having their eyebrows waxed and..."

"Stop, Bells." Jacob didn't want to hear anymore of the gory details. "I get it, okay. We'll chaperone the dolts."

"Thank you." Bella smiled in relief as she threw her arms around Jacob and hugged him.

* * *

"Will you stay still?" Bella complained irritably as she tried to fill in the missing gaps in Charlie's eyebrows with her eyebrow pencil. Her hand slipped and she ended up drawing a line across his forehead. "Stop wriggling about. I thought you said the place you were going to was a professional outfit."

Before Charlie had a chance to defend himself an irate Billy spoke over him. "What the old fool failed to mention was that we were models. The kids they had working on us were apprentices, dammit." He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His long, glossy black hair had bright blue streaks running through it. "It was just another one of his attempts to save money."

"They were supposed to be supervised." Charlie retorted.

Bella exchanged an exasperated glance with Jacob who was trying to sort out Billy's hair. They had no idea if the blue dye was permanent or not. Billy looked like he'd had a paint pop dumped on his head. At least he had a full set of eyebrows though. Charlie's were all patchy and his moustache had been trimmed too much on one side. Bella was trying to even out the damage but was finding it difficult to get her dad to sit still. It was like dealing with two recalcitrant toddlers.

"Will you sit still?"

"I am sitting still."

Bella rolled her eyes as she tried to keep her cool. She wiped the eyebrow pencil off of Charlie's forehead and began again.

"You're just gonna have to wear a hat." Jacob had given up sorting out Billy's hair. There was no saving it. He had tried tying it into a neat ponytail at the nape of his neck but the bright blue could still be seen.

"I can't wear a hat inside." Billy complained. "The ladies will think I'm weird."

"What more than they will when they see the electric blue in your hair. They'll think you're some sad old rocker trying to recapture his youth." Jacob drawled sarcastically.

"Maybe you should wear a hat, too?" Bella suggested to Charlie. "You can pull it low over your forehead. It will hide the worst of the damage. It's gonna take a few weeks for the hairs to grow back."

"Weeks?" Charlie's voice went an octave higher. "I can't walk around with patchy eyebrows for weeks. No one will take me seriously."

"Well then sit still and let me pencil them in." Bella ordered him sternly.

This time Charlie complied.

* * *

Charlie and Billy were locked in the lounge getting ready. They had refused to tell their offspring what they had chosen to wear for the speed dating event. Bella and Jacob assumed it was something casual like they were wearing. Jacob was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a v-neck tee. Bella matched him in a black pair of skinny jeans and a form fitting white t-shirt.

"They're taking forever." Bella was getting impatient now. Diane Newton had insisted that all her volunteers be at the event an hour before it started in order to help set up. She and Jacob would have to leave soon without seeing what their dad's were wearing if the old men didn't hurry up.

"Are you nearly done?" Jacob tapped on the lounge door with his knuckles. "We're gonna have to leave soon."

"Nearly." Charlie called back.

"Did Billy give you a hint of what he might wear?" Bella whispered to Jacob. "Dad wouldn't tell me anything."

"No." Jacob whispered back. "He was being very secretive."

"This can't be good." Bella was feeling apprehensive. The olds attempts to improve their looks had been disastrous so far. She checked her watch again. They had run out of time. "We're gonna have to go, Jake."

Jacob sighed. He really wasn't looking forward to this. He was going through with it for Bella's sake. He rapped on the closed door again. "Guys, we're gonna have to go. We'll see you there."

"Alright, kid." Charlie called out again. "You go on ahead. We'll be just fine."

* * *

Charlie pulled the baseball cap low over his forehead to hide his brows. Bella had done her best to fill in the gaps but because he was perspiring so much the brow pencil was coming off in some parts. He glanced down at Billy. His friend was wearing a cap too. "It doesn't look that bad, does it."

"If you say so, chief." Billy studied his reflection carefully. "I can't believe this old suit still fits." He adjusted his skinny tie and practised smiling. "I think the cap sets it off actually. Makes me look all mysterious."

"Uh huh." Charlie agreed vaguely as he dusted down his shiny silvery grey suit which matched Billy's. The slim fitting pants were a bit tight around the waist and upper thigh, but it still fit, mostly. "As long as I don't eat or drink anything tonight I should be fine."

"Well, chief, are you ready to paint the town red tonight." Billy teased lightly to hide his nerves.

"Of course." Charlie adjusted his baseball cap again. "Let's go."

"Let's go." Billy echoed him as he took the lead and steered his chair toward the front door.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	34. Chapter 34

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this story!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Four**

"I didn't know this was fancy dress."

Charlie heard snickering behind him as he pushed Billy's wheelchair into the crowded hall. He spun around sharply but nobody caught his eye. Adjusting his baseball cap so it covered more of his face he continued on inside, doing his best to weave his way through the warm bodies. He hadn't expected such a huge turnout. He could tell by Billy's face that he was just as surprised. There were more women than men. Charlie recognised a few faces but wasn't sure they recognised him as he had his cap pulled so low over his face. He leaned down to whisper to Billy.

"Everyone is dressed casually. I feel like we're standing out like a sore thumb."

"I know." Billy whispered back irritably. "You think that the kids could have told us not to dress up."

"Exactly." Charlie agreed, completely forgetting that his daughter had advised him of that very thing.

"Where are Jake and Bella anyway?" Billy was craning his neck to try and see around the milling bodies in his path.

Charlie straightened up again and scanned the hall. He eventually spotted his daughter standing next to Jacob. They were talking animatedly to a woman. Charlie tried to figure out who she was. From the back he could see that she had long, black curly hair. She was wearing a sober pink dress and wedged sandals. He ducked down again to speak to Billy. "They're over in the far corner with some woman I don't recognise. I'll steer you in the right direction." With that he grabbed the handles of Billy's chair and pushed him toward Jacob and Bella.

It was Bella who spotted them first. Her pretty brown eyes opened wide in disbelief as she saw the crowd part revealing the two men. "Oh my god!" She nudged Jacob none too gently.

"Hey." Jacob stopped talking to their companion and looked in the direction that Bella was pointing. "Oh no!" He groaned, smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand. "What are they dressed in?"

"I have no idea." Bella cringed as she shielded her eyes from the glare of Charlie and Billy's shiny suits as they drew near.

"At least they're matching." Jacob sighed heavily as he shook his head.

"Hey, kids, it's us." Charlie announced the obvious when he finally reached them. He leaned close to Bella and whispered in her ear. "Why didn't you tell me the dress code was casual?"

"I did." Bella whisper yelled back at him. "Constantly."

"Is that really you, Chief Swan?" Jacob and Bella's companion said in surprise.

Charlie instantly recognised Cora's voice. She was the waitress from the diner who always gave him such special treatment. He was always used to seeing her in uniform with her hair done up in a tight bun at the back of her head. She looked a completely different woman tonight. Her long glossy black hair fell softly around her face. She was smiling, her hazel eyes sparkling with amusement. He noticed she was wearing a name tag on her dress. He smiled sheepishly. "Yes, it's me." He chuckled, raising his baseball cap a little so she could get a better look at his face.

"You look different." Cora was doing her best to keep a straight face.

"Um...yes." Charlie said stiffly as he shot a glare in his daughter's direction. Bella ignored him as she stuck his name tag on his suit jacket before doing the same with Billy.

Billy was staring up at Cora in admiration. He didn't often eat at the diner, but he did recognise her. She was a fine woman. He coughed to gain her attention and then held out his hand. "Nice to see you again, Cora. I don't suppose you remember me. I'm Billy Black." He removed his baseball cap revealing the electric blue streaks in his hair.

Cora's eyes widened for a second time. She shook Billy's hand, smiling. "I do remember you, actually. Nice touch with the hair."

"Thanks." Billy said, grinning widely. "What brings such a lovely lady to an event like this?" He asked, trying to charm her.

"Oh, I don't know." Cora blushed at his compliment. "Diana asked me to make up the numbers."

"I'm glad she did." Billy was smiling so wide that his dimples were showing.

Jacob exchanged a knowing glance with Bella. This was working like a charm. He noticed Charlie standing to one side appearing bemused by the flirtatious exchange between Cora and his best friend. Jacob wondered if he was feeling put out that the waitress had seemingly transferred her affections from him to Billy. He couldn't tell from his expression. But before he had time to question it, Mike Newton's mother, Diana, stood up and called everyone to attention.

"You all know the rules." She said with a smirk. "Let the fun begin."

* * *

Charlie headed outside to get some fresh air. He was feeling hot and his skin was itching in his suit. The tight pants were chaffing on his upper thighs. What a god awful evening it had been so far. Billy had abandoned him almost straight away as he continued to lay on the charm with Cora. Neither had bothered involving themselves in the speed dating. They were only interested in each other. Charlie was feeling put out. Billy had never expressed an interest in the diner's waitress before and he had eaten there on several occasions. It wasn't that he was jealous of his friend, but he was feeling lost without his sidekick next to him. The speed dating thing was like an endurance test. You essentially spent three minutes with a complete stranger before moving onto the next table, beginning the insane process all over again. Charlie had struggled to find something interesting to say to any of the women. He didn't find any of them attractive. Cora was the best looking woman there, apart from Diana Newton, and she was already married.

"Me, too." A woman suddenly appeared out of the shadows beside him, startling Charlie out of his melancholic thoughts. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you jump."

Charlie cleared his throat, feeling awkward and suddenly shy. Wow, this woman was a looker. He took in the vibrant red of her hair. She had it up in a twist at the back of her head, but a few curls had escaped their confines, framing her lovely face with its alabaster skin. She had the reddest lips he had ever seen, which only enhanced the whiteness of her skin. He couldn't see her eyes as they were covered by a pair of ray bans. "The name's Charlie." He introduced himself gruffly. "I didn't see you inside."

"Oh, I saw you." His female companion said with a hint of a smile. "My name is Tori." She held out her hand for him to shake.

"Nice to meet you, Tori." Charlie smiled warmly as he shook her hand. Her fingers were icy cold, but he ignored that. It was a chilly night. "Are you new to the area?"

"You could say that." Tori said enigmatically. She moistened her lips making Charlie gulp as his gaze flicked to them. "You must be wondering about the sunglasses." She laughed.

"Not really." Charlie focused on her lovely face again. He couldn't believe such a beauty was taking the time to converse with him. He felt ridiculous in his stupid suit. He had been a fool to wear it. Still it didn't seem to be putting Tori off.

"I've just had an eye operation." Tori revealed easily. "I have to wear the shades until they heal up a bit."

"I see." Charlie felt lost for words. He felt like he had lost the art of conversation. He was mesmerised by this stunning woman.

Tori smiled again, appearing amused by his discomfiture. "I saw you talking to that pretty young girl inside. She looks like you."

"Ah, yes. That's Bells, my daughter." Charlie began to relax as he spoke about his daughter. "She's only here to look out for her old man. I'm afraid it's been a while since I've put myself out there." He felt his skin heat up, embarrassed that he made such a confession to a complete stranger.

"I find that hard to believe. A handsome man like yourself." Tori teased him gently. She licked her lips again. "I'm surprised her boyfriend isn't with her."

Charlie felt bemused by this odd statement. "Jake is there. Well they're not officially together yet. It's all new. Bells went through a bad breakup a little while ago and she's just finding her feet again." His expression turned grave as he thought about Cullen.

"They've broken up?" Tori's tone had hardened. "Impossible."

"Sorry?" Charlie was taken aback by her abrupt change in mood. "Is there a problem?"

Tori relaxed her expression. "No I'm sorry." She apologised. "I can relate that's all. I lost someone very important to me recently and I know how hard it is to get your life together again." She smiled charmingly. "So, who was he? The former boyfriend."

"Edward Cullen." Charlie almost spat the name. "He moved away for a while but now he and his family have relocated here permanently again. To be honest I wish they would all leave again. I just want them as far away from Bells as possible."

"I've heard of the Cullens. They're the rich family who live on the outskirts of Forks, aren't they." Tori said thoughtfully.

"Yes." Charlie frowned. "At least Bells is happier now. Jake is good to her and he's like a son to me. He's my best friend's kid."

"He's from the reservation." Tori pursed her perfect lips. "And they are together now."

"Like I said it's new." Charlie studied Tori carefully. She seemed awfully interested in Bella's love life. He cleared his throat again. "Well I suppose I better head back inside."

Tori cocked her head to one side as she smiled at him again. "Or you and I perhaps could have a little adventure of our own. Do you feel like being reckless, Charlie?"

Now that was an offer he couldn't refuse. His night was looking up. "I'll just go and tell Bells that I'm heading out." He told her.

"Text her." Tori suggested as she beckoned him toward her with her finger.

"I could do that." Charlie said thickly. He pulled out his cell and with his eyes never leaving Tori's beautiful face he fired off a quick message to Bella.

* * *

"Dad's met someone." Bella said in surprise as she read the cryptic message Charlie had just sent her.

"Really?" Jacob was just as surprised. Unlike his father, who was still giving Cora his full attention, he hadn't seen Charlie really focus on anyone. He actually thought the police chief looked bored and desperate to leave. He must have missed something. "Well it looks like they both got lucky." He glanced in Billy's direction again. His dad had his head close to Cora's and was laughing at something she had just said.

"Well, it looks like I was worried about nothing." Bella continued as she shoved her cell in the back pocket of her jeans. "The olds can still work their magic when they want to. I just hope whoever dad has met is nice." Her brow furrowed at the thought. "It's gonna be weird seeing him actually date."

"Tell me about it." Jacob agreed dubiously as he looked at Billy and Cora again.

The evening was winding down now. A lot of the singletons still left were leaving. Only those who had managed to find a date remained. Bella watched Jacob watching his dad and Cora. She could see the concern written all over his handsome face. He was such a good guy. Her heart swelled with love as she reached out for his hand and laced her fingers through his. Jacob turned in her direction and smiled at her tenderly.

"I love you, Bells." He declared, unabashed. He no longer cared that they were surrounded by others. He couldn't wait anymore. "I'm sorry. I just can't hold it inside anymore."

Bella felt her lips tremble as she stood on her tiptoes and cradled his beloved face in her hands. Her brown eyes glimmered with emotion as she pulled his head closer to hers. "Don't be sorry. I feel it, too." She whispered.

Jacob felt his heart leap in his chest. His hands slid around her slim waist as he drew her nearer. "I love you." He said again, testing the words.

Bella answered him with a kiss. She pressed her mouth onto his, her fingers sinking into his thick black hair. Jacob groaned as he picked her up, anchoring her to his muscular body. Heat blazed between them as Bella's lips opened under his, her taste exploding in his mouth as his tongue touched hers. They continued to kiss passionately, completely forgetting their surroundings, only aware of each other and the fire that had been ignited between them.

It was the sound of clapping and cheering that separated them and made them come back to earth with a bump. Their lips parted, both breathing heavily, as their heads turned in unison to face their forgotten audience. Bella blushed as she laughed, resting her forehead against Jacob's. He smiled at her, joining in her laughter as he heard his father cheer the loudest of all.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	35. Chapter 35

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Five**

Bella wondered if her blush would ever die down. She couldn't believe she had kissed Jacob in front of a crowd of people. She had become caught up in the moment after weeks of frustration had emboldened her to just act on instinct. Well she had definitely shown her affection for Jacob in a very public fashion. He couldn't stop grinning. HIs arms were wrapped around her as they joined Billy and Cora.

"Well it's been a great night in more ways than one." Billy joked as he caught Cora's eye and smiled. She smiled back shyly. "Um, Jake, um...Cora said she would drop me home. You and Bella go on ahead if you want to."

Jacob was still struggling with the idea of his dad dating again. It felt so weird. But he knew Cora and liked her very much. Billy was in a safe pair of hands. "Okay, see you soon." He captured Bella's hand in his and was touched when he felt her squeeze his fingers comfortingly. If anyone knew how he felt it was Bella.

"See you later, son. Bye, Bella." Billy's attention was already on Cora again. He hardly noticed when Jacob and Bella took their leave.

It was a balmy night. A light breeze ruffled Bella's hair, lifting it off her hot neck. Her hand was warm in Jacob's. They took a slow stroll back to the Swan house, neither feeling in the mood to drive the truck. They could collect it in the morning. Both of them were processing the latest turn of events in their own ways. They circumnavigated the school's gym where the speed dating night had been held.

"Is it crazy that I feel weirded out by our olds actually meeting someone." Bella admitted as she paused by the back entrance to the gym.

Jacob breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he had guessed correctly and that Bella was feeling as he did about the situation. "I mean don't get me wrong." He replied hastily. "I'm happy that our dads met someone."

"Me, too." Bella turned her face toward him, her expression turning guilty. "I mean I know we actively encouraged them, but it's just gonna be hard to get used to." Her expression softened as she squeezed Jacob's fingers again. "It must be harder for you, though. I mean my parents were divorced, they chose to separate. But yours didn't. If Sarah were here..." She tailed off as she noticed the glimmer of moisture in Jacob's soulful dark eyes. She knew he had been thinking of his mother.

"Mom's been gone for so long." Jacob replied thickly. "And dad has mourned her loss ever since. I know it's selfish, but it's just hard to see him happy with someone else."

"It's not selfish. It's natural." Bella stood on her tiptoes intending to press a soft kiss on his cheek, but Jacob turned his head so her kiss landed on his mouth instead. Bella pulled back a little, smiling. Jacob was smiling too. They looked at each other for a long moment before he suddenly swept her up in his arms and they kissed again, more intensely this time.

This kiss wasn't as innocent as the first one. There was no one watching them now. It was hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. Their lips only parted long enough so they could breathe. Jacob was half holding Bella against him, her back was pressed against the wall of the gym. Her fingers moved fluidly across the curve of his cheek as she drew him nearer, trying to get closer even though there wasn't a hairs breadth of space between them. Then suddenly he pulled back abruptly, leaving Bella gasping. Her eyes opened wide in confusion, not understanding why he had stopped. She saw that his gaze was fully focused elsewhere, his nostrils slightly flared.

"What is it?" Bella whispered hoarsely as she followed the direction of his gaze. She couldn't see anything through the gloom. She felt his muscles tense and quiver when she rested her palm on his chest. "Jake, talk to me, please."

"I can smell her." Jacob ground out. His grip on Bella tightened as he drew her into the protective circle of his arms.

"Victoria." Bella breathed. She leaned against him, staring fearfully around. "I can't believe it."

Jacob cupped her sweet face in the palm of his hands. He didn't want to tell her the rest, but he had to. They never kept secrets from each other. He wasn't Cullen. He shared everything with Bella, no matter how difficult it was for her to hear. "I can also smell Charlie, Bells. At some point he was out here, too. I just don't know whether it was at the same time or not."

"But he texted me to tell me he had met someone. He has to be alright." Bella cried as she looked up at his handsome face for reassurance. Jacob couldn't offer her any. She collapsed against him and sobbed into his chest. "You think the text was a ruse."

"I don't know." Jacob confessed as he pressed a kiss into her hair. "I just don't know."

* * *

Charlie and Tori had travelled to Port Angeles in her car. It was an expensive Ferrari. Charlie, carried along by the strange attraction he felt for this complete stranger, ignored the wires hanging out of the dash. He was a cop. He knew when a car had been hotwired. But he found the red head's company so compelling he oddly decided to ignore the obvious and instead let his reckless side take over. Tonight he wasn't Charlie Swan, police chief of Forks. Tonight he was just Charlie, a single man enjoying a sultry night with a hot woman. He admired the way the fading light played across Tori's alabaster skin. She often glanced in his direction as she drove, an intrigued smile tugging at her lips as she drove effortlessly. The wind tugged tendrils of her vibrant red hair out of the twist at the back of her head. The curls framed her perfect face and he was captivated.

They ended up near the harbour. Charlie walked beside Tori, who nearly matched him in height, his hands were dug deep in his pockets as he fought the urge to take her hand. She strolled beside him, matching his stride easily. "You seem to know this area well." He said eventually to make conversation. "Do you live close by?"

Tori paused mid-stride. She stood with her back facing the dark pool of water. "You are not what I expected." She sounded surprised by her own admission as she frowned.

"I hope that's a good thing." Charlie said awkwardly. He peered at her lovely face, wishing that he could see Tori's eyes, but they were still shielded with her dark ray bans.

Tori changed tack suddenly. She whipped around, settling gracefully on the edge of the marina. She pulled off her shoes and let her feet dangle in the water. She motioned for Charlie to copy her. He hesitated before complying. He pulled off his dress shoes and tossed them to one side, along with his socks. The water was cold as he sunk his toes into the water. He tried to keep his face straight as the chilly water numbed his feet. Tori didn't seem affected at all.

"Is Bella your only child?" She asked.

"Yes." Charlie replied cautiously. Once again he found it odd that Tori kept bringing the conversation back to his precious daughter. "Do you have children yourself?" He questioned. He was still trying to work out how old Tori was. She could be thirty or younger. It was hard to tell. She seemed ageless.

"No." Tori snapped harshly. Her beautiful face settled into hard lines. "My only family was James and he was taken away from me."

Charlie stilled as he heard the underlying deep emotion in her voice. She almost sounded threatening. "This is the guy you mentioned earlier. The one you said you lost and was very important to you." He sighed heavily. Great, his stunning companion was still hung up on her ex. It looked like his night was going to be a bust. "Why don't you tell me about him?" He offered. He could lend a friendly ear, if nothing else it would make the time pass until he headed home.

Tori seemed bewildered by this request. She studied him carefully as if deciding whether he was being earnest. "James was everything." She said eventually. "Being with him was exciting, thrilling. He was a ruthless hunter, a skilled tracker. He pursued me for months until I eventually succumbed."

Charlie heard the change in Tori's tone as she described her former lover. She sounded enthralled by him rather than in love. The way she talked about him was like an obsessed fan talking about their idol. "What happened to him?" He asked after he tired of hearing about James' marvellous traits which in truth horrified him.

Tori's expression hardened again. "He was hunting, tracking his latest victim..."

"Victim?" Charlie snapped.

"He died pursuing his last quarry." Tori said bitterly. "I warned him this hunt would be his most dangerous yet. But her refused to heed me."

Charlie turned away from him and stared at his reflection in the water. He felt suddenly weary and had no idea what he had been thinking following this strange woman to Port Angeles on a whim. It was like he had temporarily taken leave of his senses. She may be beautiful but was clearly damaged by a past abusive relationship. This James character sounded like a classic control freak.

"In my honest opinion you're well rid of him. He sounds like a brute." He said frankly.

Tori made a hissing noise through her pearly white teeth as she whipped around to face him. She was practically snarling. "You go too far."

Charlie wasn't intimidated by her posturing. In his head he thought it was all an act. He had no idea of the danger he was in by being so blunt. He pulled his feet out of the water and dabbed them dry with his socks. "The truth sometimes hurts, Tori." He continued as he pulled his shoes onto his bare feet. He met her fiery gaze. He could see his face reflected in her sunglasses. He sighed again. "I get it, okay. My first marriage was a bust. Renee was a selfish woman. I knew that deep down but refused to admit it because I was in love with her. She used my feelings against me. She abused that love and my trust by taking away my precious daughter. And she further manipulated me over the years using Bella as a way to gain financial support, even after she remarried and Bella was living with me, I allowed her to continue manipulating me."

Tori had stopped snarling and had become very still. "Where is she now?" She asked harshly.

"Hell if I know. I finally told her to do one, but when she realised she could no longer emotionally manipulate me she did it to Bella instead. She took the college money that my little girl had worked so hard for and ran off with it. You're lucky you got rid of this James guy before he pulled a similar stunt on you." Charlie replied just as harshly. He shook his head and stood up. "I don't know why I shared any of this with you. I don't even know you. But I suppose I thought I'd met a kindred spirit. I feel for you I suppose. My daughter has just come out of a controlling relationship. It nearly broke her. I let mine break me for far too long. I suppose what I'm saying, rather badly I might add, is that don't let yourself become defined by James. You seem a special person. Let him go and live your life. Concentrate on yourself. You deserve better than him."

Tori rose gracefully to her feet and faced him. Her expression was inscrutable. "I will drive you home." She said coolly.

"Fine." Charlie shrugged. His night of fun was over before it had even begun. Well at least Billy had scored, he certainly hadn't. Maybe it was for the best. Tori was probably a handful like Renee and way out of his league. He led the way back to the car with Tori walking silently beside him.

* * *

Bella was pacing up and down inside the house, ready to tear her hair out. Jacob had driven her home then left almost immediately to summon the pack. Seth had been left behind to watch over her. He was following her now, trying to calm her down.

"Jake and the others will find him." He assured her.

"How do you know that? I saw Jake's face before he left." Bella cried. She faced poor Seth, her hands curled into anguished fists. "I can't bear all this waiting."

"Please, Bella, you need to calm down. I know that Charlie will be fine." Seth said again.

He sounded so damn certain. Bella wished she had his faith. "How can you be so sure?" She whispered brokenly.

"Because if you can run with vampires and survive, so can he." Seth attempted to smile as he tried to cheer her up. He was rewarded with an answering smile from Bella as she walked over to him and gave him a friendly hug. He really was a sweetheart.

* * *

Tori didn't drop Charlie right to his door, instead she parked outside the diner. She switched off the engine and studied his profile. "It has been a night full of revelations." She said thoughtfully.

"Yes, it has." Charlie agreed as he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face her. He was surprised to see Tori's face hovering close to his. He could smell her sweet breath, her scent was intoxicating and he nearly died. His heart began to hammer in his chest, threatening to break free. His gaze flicked to her red pouty lips. He felt himself falling under her spell again. "What are you doing to me?" He whispered huskily.

"Anything I want to." Tori smiled sexily as she leaned closer. She pressed her forefinger to her lips before resting the same finger on Charlie's. "You are an intriguing man, Charlie Swan." She continued as she skimmed his lower lip lightly with her finger. "If things were different..." Tori let her gaze linger on his face for a moment before she abruptly retreated from him. "You should get out before I change my mind." She said throatily. Her chest rose and fell sharply as if she was fighting with herself.

Charlie reluctantly climbed out of the stolen Ferrari. He ducked down one last time. "Will I see you again?" He was practically pleading as he felt his attraction to Tori almost overwhelm his senses.

"Count yourself lucky that you won't." Tori breathed. She leaned across and grabbed the passenger door handle. She stared lingeringly up at Charlie one last time. "You just saved your daughter tonight. Be thankful for that." Tori laughed harshly before she slammed the passenger door shut, tearing it out of Charlie's grasp. She switched on the engine, reversing abruptly before swinging the Ferrari around and tearing off into the night.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	36. Chapter 36

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Six**

Bella threw herself at Charlie as soon as he walked in the front door. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing in relief. Charlie looked over her head toward young Seth, feeling completely bewildered by his daughter's reaction. It had been a bizarre enough night as it was without Bella acting all weird.

"What on earth has happened, kiddo?" Charlie finally asked when Bella's sobs quietened down. "And why is Seth here? Where's Jake and Billy?"

Bella glanced toward Seth. She saw his nose wrinkle in distaste. He nodded subtly, indicating that he could smell Victoria. Bella felt her heart race as she checked Charlie over once again, looking for any sign of injuries, but miraculously he seemed perfectly fine.

"Shall I let Jake and the others know that he's back?" Seth asked Bella anxiously.

"Yes, thank you, Seth." Bella wiped her eyes before facing her confused father. "Where the hell have you been? You can't just go off like that with some complete stranger." She scolded him.

Charlie's head was aching. Bella was telling him off like a five year old. "Calm down, kiddo. I sent you a text..."

"A text isn't good enough." Bella continued to berate him. "Anything could have happened to you. I had no idea who you had gone off with or where. Jake and the others have been searching for you for the last few hours while I've been tearing my hair out here with anxiety imagining all sorts of scenarios with only poor Seth for company."

Charlie put his hands on Bella's shoulders to steady her. She sounded hysterical. "I'm sorry, Bells." He ducked his head to peer into her eyes. She was crying again. "I didn't realise you'd be so worried. I had my cell on me the whole time." He frowned then and fumbled in his suit pocket for the phone and came up empty. "Damn it, it must have fallen out in Tori's car." He smacked his forehead irritably. There was no way he was ever going to get that back again seeing as she was already driving a stolen car. Not for the first time he wondered what he had been thinking going off with Tori in the first place knowing full well that she was hiding something. It was like he had temporarily taken leave of his senses.

"Is that what she called herself?" Bella felt bile rise in her throat. Victoria had just shortened her name. "What happened tonight? What did she do?"

Charlie frowned, his memories were getting fuzzy. "Tori didn't do anything." He shook his head to clear it. "I'm sorry that I worried you but I'm a grown man I can take care of myself."

"You don't understand." Bella pleaded. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked at him imploringly. "What happened? Please tell me. I need to know."

Charlie was getting frustrated now. "Nothing happened, okay. She talked. I talked. The whole date was a bust. I think she's still fixated on her asshole ex. I told her she was better off without him and that she deserved better. I mentioned your mom." He sighed, swallowing thickly. "I don't know why I did."

"Dad?" Bella saw the pain in his eyes. She tried to calm down and act more rational. "What exactly did this Tori say to you?"

"To be honest she mentioned you a few times. I thought she seemed a bit too interested in your love life." Charlie rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the ache. "Then she said something really bizarre when I just left her."

"What?" Bella whispered. It was a message it had to be.

"She said that I'd just saved you tonight and that I should just be thankful for that." Charlie rubbed his forehead again. "It was something like that. You know I might head on to bed. I'm feeling really tired."

All Bella could do was nod in response. She had lost the ability to speak as she absorbed Victoria's cryptic message. Could it be true? Had the vengeful redhead had a change of heart or was this another ruse?

* * *

Everyone was shocked by the outcome of the night's events. The fact that Charlie had been in the company of their nemesis and come back alive was astounding. Jacob and his brothers had been frantically searching but with little clues to go on, deep down inside they had begun to think the worst. There wasn't much more anyone could do now that the police chief was home safely. The pack disbanded for the night and Jacob was left alone with Bella. He could hear Charlie upstairs snoring softly as he slept. Jacob held Bella as she went into greater detail of what she had learned from her father.

"I don't understand her motivation." Bella confessed as she rested in the protective circle of Jacob's arms. "Is she toying with us? Is she trying to lull us into a false sense of security?

"I don't know." Jacob didn't have the answers. He was sure that Victoria coming upon Charlie had happened by chance and she had decided to use the unexpected opportunity to her advantage. She could have held the chief hostage, used him as leverage against them, but instead she had brought him back safely. He was completely weirded out by it.

"I'm holding onto the hope that she meant what she said." Bella looked at Jacob hopefully. "Maybe whatever dad said to her affected her in some way."

"Maybe." Jacob agreed cautiously. "It just seems too..."

"Easy." Bella finished for him flatly.

"Hey, honey, I didn't meant it quite like that. I think all we can do is wait and see. We just need to be cautious." Jacob smiled at her tenderly. He looped a lock of her hair behind her ear. He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words could never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. Jacob pulled away reluctantly and rested his forehead against hers. "Whatever happens we're in this together, okay."

"Okay." Bella breathed as she placed her hand over his and smiled.

* * *

It was gone one in the morning when Cora finally dropped Billy back at the Swan's. Jacob had waited up for his dad to come home. Bella had fallen asleep around midnight. He had carried her upstairs, gently tucking her into bed before going back down the stairs again to wait. Billy was full of beans as Jacob came outside to help him out of Cora's car. The waitress was smiling and laughing as she arranged another date for the next day. Jacob had to turn away when the two kissed. Despite his happiness that his dad had found someone to connect with, it was hard to see him with someone who wasn't his mom. Billy slid into his wheelchair and Jacob pushed him up the ramp and into the house.

"She's lovely, isn't she, Jake." Billy said more than once.

"She's great." Jacob muttered.

"So is the chief still out painting the town red?" Billy grinned. He knew that Charlie had met up with some mystery woman when Bella had told him about the text.

Jacob's jaw tensed as he wheeled his father into the lounge and then hunkered down beside him. "His date turned out to be none other than Victoria. He was lucky to come back unscathed." He said bluntly.

"What?" Billy gripped the armrests of his chair as he began to shake. "If that's supposed to be a joke it's not funny."

"It is true." Jacob retorted. "While you were out having fun your best friend was in danger." He didn't know why he felt so angry with his dad. Jacob knew it was irrational. But he could have done with Billy's support tonight.

"I need to speak to him." Billy's complexion had turned grey as his joy from spending time with Cora faded. "I should have been here."

Jacob shook himself. He was being selfish. "No, it's fine. Charlie's fine. He 's sleeping. Talk to him in the morning. I shouldn't have said it so baldly. I'm sorry."

"Are you okay, son?" Billy checked. He could see his son was still tense but didn't know the real reason why.

"I'm fine." Jacob lied. But he wasn't. He was far from fine, but he just couldn't explain why.

* * *

Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and he pulled her closer. Bella inhaled sharply. She was against his warm chest, which was chiselled to perfection. He was such a beautiful man. She splayed her hand against it and let it rest there. His breathing quickened as did hers. Jacob began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses. So faint , they were like whispers against her sensitive skin. His arms circled her more strongly as he angled his head slightly to the side as his lips came closer and closer to hers. He was teasing her, drawing out the sensation until Bella felt like she was reaching boiling point. When he finally kissed her it lit her on fire and the warmth spread throughout her body. She was becoming addicted.

Bella pulled away for a second and hesitantly looked up at him. His dark eyes were a fountain of emotion. She saw lust and desire and something else she couldn't describe. However, before she could ponder further he yanked her back toward him and covered her mouth in a hungry kiss. Bella melted against him. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips more sensuous than she could ever have imagined.

There was an awkward clearing of a throat. Jacob and Bella jerked apart, breathing heavily. Billy was hovering in the lounge doorway, looking guilty. "Um...sorry to interrupt." He apologised.

"What do you want, dad?" Jacob snapped irritably as he rested his chin on top of Bella's head. He pulled her closer as if using her as a shield between him and his father.

"I just want to let you know I'm leaving now to meet Cora. I um...just need your help to get in to her car." Billy saw Jacob frown and he paused.

"That's three days in a row." Jacob tried to dampen down his annoyance. He knew he sounded like a petulant child but he couldn't help it. He didn't know why he was finding it so hard to accept his dad dating Cora. She was a nice woman. Charlie and Bella had no problem with it. So why did he?

"Jake." Bella said gently as she rested a hand on his chest.

Jacob sighed and met her worried gaze. "I'm okay." He reassured her before gently disentangling himself from her embrace. "I'll be back in a sec." Bella threw him a look that clearly said that when he came back they were going to talk. Jacob touched her cheek gently in understanding before reluctantly leaving her to help Billy.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! What's wrong with Jake?**_


	37. Chapter 37

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Seven**

"Talk to me, Jake." Bella took his hand and pulled him down beside her when he came back inside after helping Billy into Cora's car. "What's going through that head of yours?"

Jacob put his arm around Bella as she curled her legs underneath her and snuggled into his side. "I'm gonna sound like a such a selfish ass." He admitted reluctantly.

"You're struggling with Billy seeing Cora." Bella guessed.

"I don't even know why. I like her. She's really nice." Jacob muttered as he played with a tendril of Bella's hair to distract himself.

"But she's not Sarah." Bella said quietly. She knew she had hit the nail on the head when she saw his skin flush. "You are allowed to feel upset, Jake. Don't hold it in or feel guilty about it."

Jacob felt the tension in his body ease as he met her sympathetic gaze. She knew him so well. He swore she could read his mind sometimes. "Dad's the happiest he's been in such a long time. And I am happy for him. I really am. I just..." He sighed heavily as he struggled to express himself. "It's just been us for so long you know. And it's so easy for him and it's been so hard for us. He has all the time in the world to enjoy himself with Cora. We've been struggling to even get a moment alone. It's not fair...it's just not."

"I understand, Jake. I really do." Bella could feel his pain as if it was her own. She hated that he was upset but was glad that he wasn't bottling it up either. Everything he said made sense. "You're right it's not fair. You have so many responsibilities. This should be the most carefree time of your life but instead you're weighed down with impossible burdens."

"I'm just being an idiot, Bells." Jacob interjected quickly before she had a chance to blame herself. He could see the conversation heading that way. "I don't want to feel like this anymore. This isn't me. I don't want to waste my precious time with you feeling sorry for myself."

Bella smiled softly as he leaned down to kiss her. His lips were warm and gentle on hers. They pulled apart and took shaky, shallow breaths as they gazed into the depths of each other's eyes. Unable to contain themselves anymore, Jacob held Bella's head in his hands and pulled her into a fiery, passionate kiss. Her hands worked their way around his neck, pulling him closer. This kiss obliterated every thought. Jacob's anxieties melted away as he lost himself in Bella. Drunk on endorphins his only desire was to touch her, to move his hands over her body and explore her soft curves. A kiss like this was a beginning, a promise of so much more to come.

* * *

"The Cullens want a meeting." Sam revealed the next day.

"The Cullens suck." Paul complained as he helped himself to another muffin.

"So do you." Embry retorted playfully as he snatched the muffin out of Paul's grasp and stuffed it into his mouth.

Paul glared at him, already losing his temper as he lunged across the table to teach Embry a lesson. Sam scowled, calling them to order, irritated by their childish behaviour. "This is serious." He snarled.

Jacob was late arriving. He came in at the tail end of the conversation. Sam turned his wrath on him instead. "Where the hell have you been? You're late."

Jacob met his Alpha's frustrated gaze coolly. He was learning to handle himself better around Sam and not let him get under his skin so much. "I had to take my dad to the hospital for a check up. His appointment overran. There wasn't a lot I could do about it."

"We understand." Emily said before Sam had a chance to. She looked at her imprint warningly before her face relaxed into an empathetic smile. She was carrying a tray of freshly baked muffins in her hands. Sam took it from her and set it down on the table, where the others soon dived in and emptied the tray. He looked at them in disgust before retreating to the other end of the kitchen with Emily doing her best to soothe his frazzled nerves.

It was in that moment that Jacob finally understood. Sam was stressed to the max. Emily reminded him of what Bella had been trying so desperately to do, she was trying to keep his mood on an even keel to help relieve the strain. Jacob's anger melted away. Just because Victoria was gone for now, didn't mean she wouldn't be back. It was too easy to think that Charlie's little speech had gotten through her marble hide and had an impact. He may have told Bella they needed to wait and see but the wait was killing them all. They needed to know for sure but how.

Embry had snatched another one of Paul's muffins. Lahote lunged at him, sending the tray flying. Sam turned around sharply, ready to issue an Alpha command and teach them a lesson, but Jacob got there first. He grabbed Lahote by the collar and pulled him upright, before doing the same to Embry. "Get out if you're gonna act like tools. Just grow the hell up."

Jacob could feel Sam watching him. He raised his eyes to meet his Alpha's and understanding flowed between them. It had gone quiet in the Uley's large kitchen. Embry and Paul had settled down, even Lahote was aware of the power shift going on silently between Sam and Jacob. One look was enough. Sam was the first to break away as he returned his attention to his puzzled imprint. Jacob joined his brothers at the table as the rowdiness kicked off again, but this time when they went too far it was Jacob who kept order and Sam didn't intervene.

* * *

Jacob didn't want to go to the meeting. If he could avoid being around Edward Cullen and his sullen expressions he would. The pack and the vampire coven met up every now and again to exchange news and update each other on the current situation. Normally Jacob kept his distance and let Sam and Carlisle do all the talking. He did the same this time, but it seemed that Edward wasn't going to be ignored. Jacob scowled when he noticed Bella's ex hovering close by like a bad smell.

"What do you want?" Jacob muttered as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. Edward smelt worse than ever today. It was like he had dunked himself in some of Charlie's appalling aftershave. His scent was sickly sweet and cloying.

"Believe me you smell just as unpleasant." Edward retorted under his breath as he read Jacob's mind.

"Then back off." Jacob said irritably. He was trying to hold his breath, but he wasn't a vamp and couldn't hold it forever.

"I heard about Bella's little trip to the ER." Edward's golden brown eyes blazed at the thought of Bella coming to any kind of harm.

Jacob shot a withered glance in Carlisle's direction. He should have known the head vamp wouldn't have been able to keep that information to himself. "Then you would have also head that she was fine. It was an allergic reaction, that's all."

"This time." Edward scowled as Jacob's irritated thoughts were reflected back at him loud and clear. "Just because we're not together right now doesn't mean that I haven't stopped loving her."

"But she stopped loving you." Jacob reminded him bluntly as he failed to rise to Edward's bait. "Bella is not your concern anymore. So back off." He growled, before stalking off to join his brothers, leaving a seething Edward glowering after him.

* * *

Charlie noticed that Bella was frowning deeply as they watched the Mariners lose another game together. She had volunteered to keep him company because Billy had bailed on him to go on yet another date with Cora. He sighed, taking a long swig of his beer as he did so. He was touched that his daughter had offered to keep him company, but it also stung that she had done it because she probably felt sorry for him. He was also a little pissed at Billy for ditching him at the last minute. He remembered the heady days of his relationship with Renee. Billy was going through that stage now. Charlie found his mind wandering to Tori. He tried to imagine what she was doing now. Probably hotwiring another car. He shook himself and tried to concentrate on the game but Tori's attractive face kept popping up into his mind and distracting him. There was something about her he found compelling. He glanced to the side at Bella and noticed she was texting furiously on her cell.

"You don't have to stay in you know." He snapped, more harshly than he intended.

"What?" Bella looked at him in confusion.

"You obviously have other things to do and other places to be. Don't sit in here feeling sorry for me." Charlie knew he was being an ass but he couldn't help it.

"For goodness sake." Bella threw her cell to one side. She had been trying to delete all the text messages from Edward that had suddenly come through on her phone thick and fast in the last few moments. She hadn't heard from him since the break up and now he seemed intent on making contact again. "What is your problem, dad? I'm here aren't I."

"Not really." Charlie stared pointedly at her cell. "You haven't watched the game at all."

"Neither have you." Bella shot back. "I can tell you're wallowing and now you're taking out your pissy mood on me."

Charlie's lips thinned as he tore his gaze away from her and let it settle on the flat screen. The Mariner's fans sat in the stands looking as glum as he felt. He couldn't explain his dark mood. "I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Is it because of Billy?" Bella questioned thoughtfully. "Are you jealous of him being with Cora?"

"Hell no." Charlie protested. "I'm pleased he's found someone to connect with."

"Then what?" Bella continued to probe.

"I don't know." Charlie swirled his beer around in the glass. "I guess I'm just feeling left behind. I can't seem to get Tori out of my head either."

"What?" Bella looked at him sharply. His admission made her anxious. He sounded like she did when she had first become obsessed with Edward. She had spent every waking minute thinking about him constantly. It was like history repeating itself in reverse ."You need to forget her."

"It doesn't matter anyway. She didn't give me her number so the point is moot I guess." Charlie shut the conversation down and stared sullenly at the flat screen again.

Dread settled in Bella's gut as she fired off a quick text to Jacob. _"Hurry up and come home. We need to talk about dad."_

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	38. Chapter 38

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Eight**

"Listening to him talk about Victoria..." Bella shook her head as if trying to clear a disturbing memory from her head. "It's like listening to myself in those first heady days after Edward and I got together. I was obsessed with everything about him, even after he had warned me about what he was, about what he had done." She clutched Jacob's shoulders as she knelt in front of him and stared into his worried eyes. "Was I enthralled by him? Is everything I remember about my relationship a lie. I can't let myself believe that. I can't."

It was so difficult to hear Bella talk about her relationship with Cullen. It was a topic they avoided at all costs, especially now they had taken their first tentative steps into a relationship of their own. But the complex situation with Charlie had brought up painful feelings for Bella as well as a few unwanted revelations. Even though it was hard for him, Jacob had to swallow his pride and remember that even though they were in a romantic relationship he was still her best friend. He needed to be grateful that she could confide in him. It was better than withdrawing into herself like she would have done in the past.

"I don't think that everything you shared with him was a lie." Jacob said tensely. It was a strain to keep his tone neutral and not reveal his hatred of Edward Cullen underneath. "I think you're stronger than you realise, Bells. I think that..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I know that he loved you very much despite the fact the he should have kept away from you. He was selfish to draw you into his world. It was only ever going to end in disaster. But you shouldn't question how you felt about him then, or your memories of your time together, good or bad."

Bella fell silent. She could see the torment in his dark eyes as he tried his best to be reasonable and fair. "Thank you." She said sadly as she leaned in to kiss his forehead. She let her lips linger against his smooth skin before pulling back. "But I still don't know what to do about my dad."

Jacob lifted Bella onto his lap and put his arms around her. He could breathe easier when she was nestled against him. She had her hand on his chest and was stroking soothing circles on his hot skin. He relaxed, feeling more of his tension ebb away. "I think he did fall under her spell. But your dad's strong, Bells. I'm sure this is a temporary blip. He needs a distraction that's all. Something to take his mind off the situation. I think his loneliness is getting to him a bit. We're dating. My dad's dating. Suddenly he's surrounded by all these new relationships."

"I already tried to set him up but it was a disaster." Bella lamented. What Jacob said was logical but she had run out of ideas.

"I don't mean set him up with another woman." Jacob dropped a kiss on top of her hair when he saw her looking upset again. "I think helping another woman would be a way to go."

"What?" Bella felt confused.

"I'm talking about Sue Clearwater." Jacob revealed. "Leah and Seth have been worried about their mom. Since losing Harry she's closed herself off and is pushing her friends away. Them too. She's bottling up her grief and you more than anyone know that's not healthy. Maybe Charlie could be the key to unlocking her emotions. Maybe they could help each other."

Bella was always amazed at how insightful Jacob could be. She had gone into panic mode after listening to her father talk about Victoria. Her anxiety had stopped her seeking a solution. But Jacob had come home, cut calmly through her hysteria and came up with a suggestion that made sense. She twisted around on his lap until she was facing him. Cradling his face in her palms she leaned in to kiss him again, slowly, tenderly. "I love you." She whispered against his eager lips. "I really do."

It was the first time she had verbalised it aloud. Jacob always knew she loved him. But having her confirm it, to actually hear her say those three words in such a soft, affectionate way, made it so much more perfect. Moisture welled in his eyes as he cradled the back of her head and kissed her again, his tears spilling from under his closed lids as he rejoiced silently inside.

* * *

That evening, while Jacob was out patrolling with his brothers and Billy was on another date with Cora, Bella pitched the idea to Charlie. "According to Jake, Leah and Seth are really worried about their mom. She needs a friend right now, dad."

"I don't know, kiddo." Charlie said cautiously. "The last time I went to see Sue she made it clear I wasn't welcome. I think being around Billy and me reminds her of Harry too much. It's painful."

"I didn't take you for a quitter, dad." Bella blazed angrily. "You saw me sink into a deep depression and you held back, worried that forcing me to face up to my grief would push me away. Haven't you learned anything?" It was a low blow. Bella felt guilty for saying it but she was feeling desperate. Charlie needed a shove, even if it hurt his male pride. She would do anything to get his mind off a certain red head.

"That's not fair, Bells." Charlie didn't hide his hurt. "Both situations are different."

"No, they are the same." Bella persisted. "Sue needs a friend, dad. A friend who keeps coming back no matter how many times she shuts the door in their face. Because she's gonna break soon and it's not fair for poor Seth and Leah to deal with the fall out when both of them are suffering themselves. Harry would want you to be there for her." She implored.

It was mentioning Harry that clinched it. Charlie's jaw tensed as he tried to contain his emotions. "Alright, kiddo. I see your point. Okay." He breathed deeply through his nose. "It's just hard for me too."

"Oh, dad." Bella's expression softened as she put her arms around him in a rare display of affection. "I understand how you feel. But I also understand Sue's pain, too."

"You are so grown up now." Charlie felt his emotions overwhelm him. "I know I don't say it enough but I'm proud of you, kiddo."

"Thanks." Bella was touched at his compliment. She hugged him again, a feeling of relief washing over her that things were heading in the right direction again.

* * *

It was late when Cora dropped Billy off at the Black's. They'd spent a pleasant evening at her small rented house in Forks. Cora had cooked and they had watched a romantic movie together. Things were progressing nicely and he was the happiest he had been in a long time. Jacob came out of the house to help him inside, he turned away when Billy kissed Cora goodnight. He had learned to accept the new relationship but still found it difficult to watch their public displays of affection.

"She's asked me to stay over tomorrow night." Billy revealed as Jacob pushed his chair up the ramp.

"Are you going to?" Jacob asked quietly. For Cora to ask his father to stay it meant things were getting really serious. He waited with baited breath for Billy's response.

"I said yes." Billy said eventually after a moment's silence. He turned his head to look up at his son. "Are you okay with that?"

"It's not any of my business." Jacob shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "You can do what you want. You've already said yes anyway."

Billy hesitated again. He was finding it hard to read Jacob. His expression was inscrutable. It was like he was deliberately trying to hide his feelings. "Is there something wrong? You seem a little tense."

Jacob met his dad's enquiring gaze, deliberating whether to tell him about Charlie. His father had been so caught up in his new relationship that he had missed the things that had been going on around him. Jacob couldn't help but feel resentful about it. He didn't respond right away as he manoeuvred the wheelchair into the house. He wanted time to think.

"Where's Charlie and Bella?" Billy asked as he noticed that most of the lights were turned off. Only a small lamp in the lounge was burning.

"They're at the Clearwater's. I would have been with them but I had to wait here until you came home." Jacob couldn't keep the resentment out of his tone this time.

Billy studied his son's profile again. Jacob had turned away from him to hide his expression. "Are Sue and the kids alright?" He asked in concern.

"Not really." Jacob gave up the pretence and spun around to face Billy again. "But then you wouldn't know that because you haven't been around much. Sue has been at breaking point for weeks. It would have been nice if you could tear yourself away from Cora for five minutes to go visit your best friend's widow."

"That's uncalled for." Billy gasped. "I've tried contacting Sue. She said she needed space."

"Well how convenient for you." Jacob retorted bitterly. "I bet that eased your conscience."

"Where is this coming from?" Billy snapped in response. "I thought you had accepted Cora. She makes me happy. Of course I miss Sarah. I think of her every day. But she's been gone for so long now..."

"This is not about mom." Jacob exploded. He threw his hands up in the air and began to pace back and forth. He hadn't meant to let his emotions get the better of him but it was pointless holding back now. "This is about you being completely oblivious to everything that is going on around you. Since you've been dating Cora you've more or less neglected your best friend. You're living in Charlie's house, dad. He took time off work to look after you and now you've literally pushed him to one side so you can spend every waking minute with Cora."

"The chief is fine with it. If he had a problem he would say so." Billy blustered.

"That's bullshit, dad." Jacob shot back at him. "You're being selfish. You need to find a balance. Don't forget about the other people in your life that need your attention, too."

"Like you." Billy finally saw the anguish underneath his son's resentment. "I've not been here for you."

"Or anyone." Jacob finished quietly. "I wanted to be with Bella tonight. I hardly get any quality time with her. I've been patrolling all day. Instead of spending what free time I do have with her I've had to stay in waiting for you to come back. It's not fair."

"No, it's not. You're right. I'm sorry." Billy conceded. "I'll cancel my plans with Cora."

"I'm not asking you to do that." Jacob said impatiently. "Go and stay with her tomorrow. I'm just saying you need to be more thoughtful."

"I will I promise." Billy agreed, chagrined. "Why don't you and I head over to the Clearwater's now and join Charlie and Bella, huh?"

"It's late. They're probably on their way back now."

"Another time then." Billy suggested.

"Yeah, another time." Jacob sighed.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	39. Chapter 39

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Thirty Nine**

Life continued to play tricks on Jacob and Bella. The more they tried to organise some quality time together, the more fate seemed to intervene and upset their plans. Right now it was exam pressure. Bella's head was in her books constantly, which meant her relationship with Jacob had to take a back seat while she studied otherwise she was in danger of not graduating. It was hard for both of them, and Jacob tried to be patient and understanding when she got tetchy because she was feeling the strain. In a way he was glad that this time it was something ordinary instead of supernatural that was keeping them apart. At least her life wasn't in danger.

"Will you quiet?" Bella exploded one day when Charlie and Billy erupted into laughter as they watched an episode of The Impractical Jokers. Normally she loved watching the show too, but right now she was trying to concentrate and the old men were getting on her last nerve. "I'm going out." She snapped as she slammed her laptop closed and gathered her books together.

"Don't do that, kiddo." Charlie apologised. "We'll turn the volume down."

Bella breathed deeply as she tried to calm down. She knew she was being unreasonable. She didn't want to interrupt their bonding time. With Billy dating Cora and Charlie doing his best to support Sue Clearwater, the two friends hadn't been spending much time together lately. It did her heart good to see the two men enjoying each other's company again like the old days. And with Billy around more and Sue taking up more of his free time, Charlie had stopped wallowing about Tori.

"I need some fresh air anyway. You enjoy the show." Bella tried to smile.

"You could take a break and join us." Charlie offered.

"No. I'm fine." Bella tucked her laptop under her arm and grabbed her bag, slinging the strap over her shoulder. "I'll see you later."

"If you're sure." Charlie sighed, he could see there was no changing Bella's mind. He exchanged a worried glance with Billy as he watched his daughter leave.

* * *

Bella settled into the empty booth of the diner and made herself comfortable. There were few customers around at this time of day which meant she should be able to study in peace. She opened her laptop and spread her text books across the table. Soon she was immersed in her studies. Occasionally Cora would pass by and refill her coffee cup. Bella would smile at the older woman gratefully before concentrating again. An hour drifted by. Bella actually felt like she was getting somewhere. She began to relax. A few more people came into the diner as the morning progressed, but none of them disturbed her. She eventually just ignored any new arrivals, their chatter became background noise. So she wasn't prepared when Alice Cullen came out of nowhere and slid into her booth.

"It's good to see you, Bella." The little psychic said softly, startling her.

"Jeez." Bella put her hand over her racing heart. She stared at Alice in shock as she tried to recover her wits. It had been ages since she had seen Edward's adopted sibling. Alice looked exactly the same, only her black hair was styled differently. Other than that she was exactly as Bella remembered her. "What are you doing here?" She asked eventually, not knowing what else to say. After her break up with Edward, the agreement had been for all of them to keep their distance.

"I needed to see you." Alice continued in the same soft tone. She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the hard wood of the table. "I've missed you. So when you suddenly popped up in my visions again, I knew that Jacob Black wasn't around. So I took the opportunity to come and see you." She lowered her eyes guiltily. "Please, don't be mad."

"I'm not mad." Bella replied hesitantly. Alice raised her head and smiled when she said this. "But that doesn't mean I think this is a good idea." She watched Alice's expression falter and she felt ashamed of herself. Once upon a time the two of them had been like sisters, but when she broke up with Edward, it meant breaking up with the whole family. "You know the reasons why, Alice."

"Of course I do." Alice curled a lock of her black hair around her finger. She looked so forlorn it made Bella feel even worse. "We used to have so much fun together...and I miss that. Edward misses you too. He wishes you would return his calls."

And there it was. The real reason Alice had paid her an impromptu visit. Bella scowled. "I have not returned his calls because we have nothing to say to each other. It was supposed to be a clean break with no contact."

Alice knew she had screwed up. She reached out and grasped Bella's hand as she made to rise. "I'm sorry." She apologised hastily. "It's just hard for all of us. We really do miss you. You are part of our family and we will always want to protect you." She smiled endearingly. "Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I'm organising a graduation party. I'd love it if you'd come. Bring the wolf boy if it makes you feel better. The whole school is invited."

Bella couldn't believe Alice was serious. They were really intending to open up the house to strangers scrutiny. "That's risky isn't it." She said incredulously.

"I've assessed the risks. It's perfectly safe." Alice insisted. "Please come. I promise it will be a night to remember." She squeezed Bella's hand lightly before letting go and disappearing before Bella had a chance to protest.

* * *

Jacob was just as incredulous as Bella when she told him about her meeting with Alice. He was secretly angry. It was obvious that the coven were trying to draw Bella back into their orbit again. With no sign of the red head in weeks, the pack had been hinting to the Cullens that it was time for them to hit the road now. The shifters were beginning to believe that Victoria had actually meant what she said to Charlie. Surely she would have made a move by now if she intended to continue on her quest for vengeance. The Cullens kept insisting that this was Victoria's goal. She wanted to lull them into a false sense of security before she struck. But the pack was convinced this was just another excuse for them to stay in the area.

"I can't believe Alice assumes I'm just going to accept." Bella complained. "She left before I had a chance to say no properly."

"It figures." Jacob ran his fingers through his hair agitatedly. His hair was growing out again thankfully after Emily had butchered it.

"Well she'll have to swallow her disappointment when we don't turn up." Bella folded her arms across her chest and scowled again.

Jacob had his arm around her shoulders. She was so tense. He could see that crossing paths with her former friend had really shaken her up. He was sure that the little pixie had provoked Bella on purpose. There was always an ulterior motive when it came to the vamps. And why would they have invited him to the dumb party. "I don't trust them." He confessed. "But I think we should go."

"What?" Bella cried in disbelief. She looked up at him as if he had gone crazy. "Why?"

Jacob played with a lock of her hair, twisting it around between his fingers. He gazed into her confused eyes earnestly, pleading with his own for her to hear him out. "I know it doesn't sound logical, Bells. But they are up to something. In our last few meetings with them, the Cullens have been acting cagey."

"You never said anything." Bella breathed, feeling betrayed that he had failed to mention it to her. Edward used to keep things from her too. She hadn't expected Jacob to do the same. She failed to hide her hurt as she lowered her gaze to her shaking hands.

Jacob could practically read the thought bubble above her head. He put his finger under her chin and raised her head so she had to look at his face again. "You've been stressed out with all this studying. I didn't mention it because until I had something concrete to tell you I didn't want to worry you. We're basing this on our feelings at this point. We don't have any evidence. But this party could well provide some."

Bella swallowed her hurt pride and tried to be reasonable. What he said made sense. He had been thinking of her. "Okay." She conceded. "Maybe I have been a bit stressed." She noticed Jacob arch his brows. "Okay a lot stressed." She agreed petulantly.

"Exactly." Jacob's smile turned tender as he stroked her lovely face with gentle fingers. "It's nothing sinister. We've been hinting that it was time for them to move on, but they keep making excuses. I think that they are planning to stay for the long term."

"And you want then gone." Bella finished for him bluntly.

"Yes."

"What about Victoria?"

Jacob sighed and played with a tendril of her hair again. "At this point do you really think she's coming back. Even the little pixie has been forced to admit that she's had no evidence to prove otherwise."

"Alright." Bella finally caved in.

"Aright what?" Jacob checked.

"Alright, we'll go to the dumb graduation party." Bella huffed.

"That's my girl." Jacob teased as he leaned close, kissing the shell of her ear as he did so. "We won't be alone." He breathed as his lips skimmed the sensitive skin along her neck.

Bella's eyes closed as her nerve endings began to tingle with anticipation. "Who's gonna be with us?" She murmured as she relaxed against his hot body.

"I was thinking Quil and Embry would enjoy a night out." His mouth found hers. "Paul, too."

"You're evil inflicting Lahote on them." Bella laughed throatily.

Jacob chuckled as his mouth enclosed hers. He groaned, loving the way her small body melted against his. Jacob was addicted to her. He couldn't get enough. HIs hands wrapped around her small waist, drawing her closer. Bella's fingers were in his shaggy hair, their open mouthed kiss sending them both spiralling. When they broke apart for air, Bella rested her forehead against his, breathing shallowly.

"I've missed this." Bella gasped.

"Me, too." Jacob smiled, pushing her gently onto her back. She rested on the sofa cushions, absorbing the heat from his body as he hovered over her, his dark eyes glistening with suppressed desire. His fingers drifted over her hip, then under her inner thigh. Suddenly he hitched her leg over his waist.

Bella felt her breath quicken. "I can't wait for these darn exams to be over."

"Me, either." Jacob replied huskily. Lust and desire fought for dominance on his handsome face. He tugged Bella closer and kissed her hungrily. As their lips crashed together he felt like he was walking on air. He lost himself in her, she took over his senses. The nearness of her. The soft sounds of pleasure she made, her sweet scent. It was overwhelming, such sweet torture. "I love you, Bella." He said against her plump lips. She responded in kind before pulling him into another intense kiss.

But as always their time alone was limited. The front door crashed open and voices could be heard. It was Charlie and Billy. Resigned, Jacob and Bella pulled apart.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	40. Chapter 40

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty**

Charlie and Billy were having the same conversation with their offspring but for different reasons. Charlie paced in front of his daughter, his hands on his hips. "You're not going." He warned her. "I won't let you."

"I'm eighteen. You can't stop me." Bella just about refrained from rolling her eyes. "I'm an adult now and can make my own decisions."

"Well this is a stupid one." Charlie fumed. "And I can't believe that Jake is going along with this."

"It was Jake's idea, actually."

"What?" Charlie blazed.

Bella took a deep breath as she tried to reason with him. "Listen, dad, I know you think we're crazy, but we know what we're doing. I'll be perfectly fine. It's just a graduation party. No big deal."

"It is a big deal." Charlie interjected. He wasn't going to be persuaded by her flimsy argument. "This party is being thrown by your ex. The guy who messed you up emotionally big time."

"Edward is not the one who's organising the party, it's Alice." Bella tried to smooth things over. "Jake is gonna be with me the whole time. All my school friends are going to be there. I doubt Edward will even approach me after all this time." Deep down Bella knew this wasn't true but Charlie wouldn't know that. She crossed her fingers, feeling guilty about the lie.

"Jake better not leave your side." Charlie warned her.

"You know he won't." Bella smiled reassuringly, relieved that the worst was over. She just hoped that Jacob would be able to convince Billy of the same.

* * *

Billy shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe what Jacob was planning to do. It was insane. "Why would you want to enter the lion's den? What good can come from it? And you're taking Bella with you? Are you crazy? I bet Sam doesn't approve. Have you even told him yet?" He fired off a series of questions, hardly giving his son a chance to respond. "You can bet your ass that Charlie won't agree to this."

Jacob met his father's incredulous stare. He was irritated that Billy wasn't even giving him a chance to talk, which in his mind was just typical of his father's attitude lately. "One, Sam already knows. So that argument is moot. Two, Bella is officially an adult so Charlie can't stop her from going and three, I'm not walking into the lion's den. I've got back up."

"Quil, Embry and Paul Lahote." Billy said derisively. "They are the biggest jokers in the pack. Quil never takes anything seriously and Embry always follows his lead. As for Paul he can't control his temper. They're your back up?" He questioned dubiously. "You haven't thought this through properly. And I'm surprised at Sam for agreeing to it."

Jacob felt his anger rising. He was struck by how little faith his dad had in him. It hurt his male pride. It was just one of the many things that had been coming between them lately. Billy was acting as if he was an immature child. Charlie was doing the same to Bella. It was infuriating considering both of their behaviours lately.

"Quil and Embry are as loyal as you can get. Paul, too. They knew this is serious and they will act accordingly. You're not in the pack mind, dad. You know nothing about what they are like when on duty. They take things very seriously. You only see them when they're relaxing and blowing off steam. So how dare you insinuate that they're immature." Jacob spat.

"Jake, I wasn't implying..." Billy blustered.

"Oh yes you were." Jacob continued to snap. "Don't deny it. Perhaps you should look at yourself before you heap criticism on me. I've spent my life being mature. So has Bella. She looked after her flighty mom for years just like I've looked after you. Rach and Beck haven't. They got away from the res as soon as they graduated and blew off all their responsibilities."

"Don't bring your sisters into this." Billy's hands curled into fists in his lap. HIs dark eyes filled with pain as he glared at his son.

"Why shouldn't I?" Jacob retorted bitterly. Now he had started he couldn't seem to stop. "They never come home to visit. Why do you think that is, huh? They think they'll get trapped here that's why. Instead they stay away, spending their time partying and drinking."

"That's not true." Billy cried defensively. "The twins are studying hard. They won good scholarships. They are carving out careers for themselves at college. You've seen their letters. Rachel is determined to study medicine and Rebecca she..."

"They tell you what you want to hear." Jacob interrupted him. He grabbed his cell out of the back pocket of his jeans and logged into the twins Instagram and Facebook accounts. "See for yourself." He chucked the phone onto his dad's lap. "That is proof of what they've really been doing. Rach and Beck dropped out of college months ago. They get by working in bars and spend what they earn on having a good time."

Billy's eyes filled with tears. He scrolled through the accounts, reading the twins daily posts. He wasn't social media savvy. He could barely work a computer. He relied on Jacob for all that. To see his daughters posting photos of themselves, taking endless selfies, faces caked in makeup and with cocktails in their hands. It killed him. Nowhere was there any mention of college. Instead there were endless shots of nightclubs and bars. His daughters were either in a group or alone, sometimes with faceless men with their arms draped around them. Billy couldn't deny that his son was telling him the truth. His hand shook as he shut the phone down and pushed it away from him.

"I didn't do this to hurt you, dad." Jacob said quietly as he picked up his abandoned cell.

"But you were determined to prove your point." Billy replied resentfully. "Well, don't worry. You've certainly done that."

Jacob sighed. He knew his father was hurting right now. It would take time to process. He understood that. But it still annoyed him that his dad was pushing the blame in his direction instead of owning it. Jacob didn't bother saying anything else. Instead he shoved his cell into the back pocket of his jeans and walked away to find Bella.

* * *

"You told him about Rach and Beck." Bella was surprised. They had talked about the twins before in the past. The subject was a big bugbear with Bella, how Jacob's sisters had just left him behind to deal with everything. They never even bothered to come home for a visit. They wrote every week, and there were the odd phone calls home. But that usually comprised of them trying to wheedle money out of Billy. "What made you change your mind and tell him the truth about them?" She asked gently.

"He was insinuating you and I were too immature to know our own minds. He thinks we're crazy wanting to attend the Cullens graduation party. I just lost it and it all came flooding out." Jacob closed his eyes and hung his head. He still felt guilty about the way he had done it. He had been too harsh. He never intended for his father to find out this way despite Bella counselling him to be honest with Billy about the girls. His fingers sank into his hair as he let his regrets consume him. "I screwed up, Bells."

Bella looked at him with sympathy as she massaged his lower back comfortingly. "You haven't screwed up. Billy had to find out sometime. The truth can hurt, but at least he can begin to process it now."

Jacob rubbed a hand over his face wearily. "I didn't act very mature."

"Neither have they." Bella pointed out reasonably. "Both our dad's have been acting like immature kids lately so they can't complain if we do the same."

Jacob sat up straighter and took her hand. "I don't know what I would do without you, Bells."

"I think you've got that backwards." Bella smiled fondly as she raised his hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.

"I think we're gonna have to agree to disagree on that one." Jacob returned her smile, feeling his tension ease as he drew her closer. "As long as we're united we're okay."

Bella responded with a kiss. Sparks immediately flew in every direction, and the world slowly dissolved around them, along with all their worries, troubles and the endless problems that seemed to plague them. When they were together like this everything faded away. The kiss was electrifying, their lips moved in perfect sync. Jacob's hands drifted to her waist, pulling her closer, their kiss getting more intimate, deeper with every passing second. Drunk on their desire, Bella soon fell onto her back, pulling Jacob with her as they became lost in their passion for each other.

* * *

"Did you know?" A red eyed Billy asked his friend bitterly.

Charlie raised the cold beer to his lips and drank. He met Billy's stricken gaze wearily. "I guessed."

"And you never said." Billy felt his throat tighten with disappointment.

"I didn't want to hurt you. You always spoke so proudly of them." Charlie sighed heavily. "I was like Jake I guess. I wanted to protect you, but in the end the truth always outs itself. I was wrong I'm sorry."

"Where did I go wrong with my girls?" Billy's emotions spilled over as a lonely tear trickled down his cheek. "When did I lose their respect? Their love?"

"Of course they love you." Charlie put a comforting hand on Billy's shoulder. "But sometimes life's circumstances can make us selfish. I mean look at Ren. And I've hardly been the father of the year to Bells either. She's coped with a lot of bullshit from both of us."

"And I've burdened Jake his whole life." Billy muttered disconsolately.

"That's not what Jake was implying and you know it." Charlie scolded his friend. "He's just pissed like Bella is that we still think and treat them like immature kids. I thought I'd learned my lesson on that score but today proved I'm still making the same old mistakes. We need to pull our heads out of our asses and apologise and tell them that we trust them."

"Yeah, you're right." Billy agreed tiredly, knowing that what the chief said made sense. He had a lot of making up to do with Jacob.

"Let's head on home and make things right then." Charlie patted Billy's shoulder as he abandoned his beer and took the handles of his friends wheelchair. Little did the men know just exactly what they would be walking back into.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	41. Chapter 41

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! Jessica's speech in italics was lifted from the film.**_

 **Chapter Forty One**

Charlie pushed Billy up the ramp and onto the front porch. He fumbled for his keys and upon finding them put the correct one in the lock. He exchanged a glance with Billy. The house seemed strangely quiet. Which was odd because they had left the kids at home when they went to the diner to enjoy a quiet meal and a drink whilst they licked their wounds. Maybe Jacob and Bella had gone out. Charlie twisted the key in the lock and the front door creaked open. It sounded ominous in the tense silence. The two men exchanged another worried glance before Charlie took the lead and headed inside first. Billy followed him more cautiously, wheeling his chair carefully into the hallway. Charlie paused on the threshold. He turned to his friend and raised a finger to his lips, cautioning Billy to be quiet. Billy nodded in understanding. He knew the rubber wheels of his chair would squeak on the wooden flooring so he stilled, waiting for Charlie to investigate further.

Charlie grimaced. Every step he took sounded loud to his ears. In the end he shucked off his heavy boots and continued on in just his socks. Looking left and right he proceeded into the lounge. He held his breath as he peered inside. It was dark. For some peculiar reason the drapes were drawn across the windows. The police chief tiptoed inside, his body tense, ready to defend himself against any intruders. HIs fingers found the light switch and he snapped it on flooding the room with brightness. He exhaled when he found the room empty. Apart from a pair of shorts that belonged to Jacob abandoned on the floor, the lounge was tidy. Charlie picked up the shorts and folded them up neatly. He wasn't surprised to find a piece of Jacob's clothing. He and Billy were using the lounge as a temporary bedroom. Each morning the kid was vigilant in tidying away the camp beds they slept on. Charlie wasn't going to complain because he had missed an item of clothing.

He walked back out into the hall feeling foolish. There was no one here. He didn't know why he had such an eerie feeling. He signalled to Billy that everything was okay and that his friend should come right on in. Billy relaxed, his tension easing as he rolled his chair down the hallway toward his friend. Just as he joined him the lights suddenly snapped on blinding them both. From the darkness Jacob and Bella jumped out at them from the kitchen yelling, "SURPRISE!"

Charlie reeled back clutching his heart. "What the hell?" He demanded as he glared at the two of them. Behind him he heard Billy chuckling.

"Happy birthday, dad." Bella laughed as she presented him with a cake which had a lit candle glowing in the middle.

Charlie stared at his daughter incredulously. He had completely forgotten that today was his birthday. He had been so preoccupied worrying about Bella. He looked down at Billy who was still roaring with laughter. "You were in on this the whole time." He accused, punching his friend lightly on the shoulder. "That's why you dragged me over to the diner."

"I knew you'd forgotten." Billy wheezed. "The look on your face was priceless."

"Ha ha, very funny." Charlie shook his head, smiling.

"Blow out the candle and make a wish, dad." Bella urged him.

Charlie grinned. He was still clutching Jacob's shorts in his hand. "These are yours." He said distractedly as he passed them to him. He failed to notice the red blush coating his daughter's cheeks or Jacob's shifty expression as he took the shorts from him. Billy didn't. He looked at his son sharply. Jacob just shrugged.

"Go on, dad. Close your eyes." Bella said again.

Charlie finally complied. He shut his eyes tight and made his wish silently in his head. "I wish that I could see Tori again." Then taking a deep breath he blew out the single candle.

* * *

The next few weeks were stressful for Bella as she tried to cope with exam pressure. She studied right up until the last possible moment. Each night either Charlie or Jacob had to prise her text books out of her hands and force her to rest. She developed black circles under her eyes as she ignored their warnings and sneakily resumed studying in the middle of the night. It was a tough time for everyone as they dealt with her mood swings. One minute elated, the next sobbing against Jacob's shoulder, certain that she was going to fail. Everyone was glad when the exams finally arrived. They worried that Bella would fall apart, but strangely now that she was actually sitting them, she seemed much calmer. The build up had been much worse than the event itself. Afterward there were muted celebrations all over the school. Bella came home on the last day exhausted but relieved it was finally all over.

Charlie took them all out for a celebratory meal. He included Cora and Sue Clearwater in the group along with young Seth and his sister, Leah. Sue was doing much better now that she had accepted everyone's support. She was no longer bottling things up but grieving properly for her husband. Bella could see the change not only in the Clearwater matriarch but her children too. Now that the burden of emotionally supporting their mother had been removed Leah and Seth seemed much more relaxed. Leah even went out of her way to be extra friendly to Bella. Gone was the bitter chip she used to carry on her shoulder like a permanent shroud, instead she smiled more, even teased her brother like she used to. Leah had always been beautiful but Bella thought now she was absolutely stunning. The right guy was out there for her somewhere, she was sure of it.

"That was an awesome night wasn't it." Jacob said to Bella as they walked back to the Swan house hand in hand.

Bella smiled up at him before her gaze drifted to the sky. For once there was no cloud cover. The stars dotted the heavens like a thousand fairy lights strung across the sky. They twinkled like diamonds as if representing Bella's happy mood. And she was happy, happier than she could have ever thought possible. For the first time in a long time she allowed herself to think about the future. She was convinced now that Victoria was gone. The red head had completely vanished off the radar. Charlie's simple insight must have had an impact.

"I love it here don't you." Bella clung to Jacob's arm and leaned her head against him as they continued to stroll.

"It's beautiful. Just like you." Jacob leaned down and pressed a kiss on top of her silky hair. Bella's good mood was infecting him as he shared her sense of hope and anticipation for the future.

* * *

The celebrations continued at the Swan house. It was a balmy night. Everyone gathered on the back porch. Sue and Cora sat on the porch swing chatting amiably. Charlie had fired up the barbecue. Bella poured out some soft drinks while she helped dish out the food. Jacob, Seth and Leah made short work of the extra rations. A light breeze ruffled Bella's hair as she looked at the contented group gathered around her. How times had changed. A few short months ago she had been in a completely different place, her life revolving around Edward and his family. Now her social circle had completely changed. She had rediscovered her sense of self. She had stopped battling her low self esteem and finally accepted who she was. She was worth something, she was important, just like all the people she now claimed as family.

"Drink." Leah's sultry tones pulled her out of her thoughts. Bella looked up as the she wolf settled down beside her on the porch steps. In the distance Bella could see Jacob and Seth devouring more burgers. Charlie was watching them in disbelief, probably wondering where the hell they were putting it all.

"Thanks." Bella took the proffered orange juice from Leah and lifted the refreshing drink to her lips.

"So, you and Jake." Leah arched her brows meaningfully as she looked in his direction.

"What about us?" Bella felt her skin flush. She was well aware of what Leah was alluding to.

"Don't make me spell it out, Bella." Leah whispered, laughing.

"Jeez, its none of your business." Bella muttered irritably.

"True." Leah agreed. "But there are no secrets in the pack mind. Remember that." She laughed again when Bella's face reddened even further. "A word of warning, girlfriend." The she wolf's expression suddenly turned deadly serious. "Protect your heart. Nothing is for certain with imprinting involved. I'm just letting you know I'm here if you ever need me."

Bella felt like a bucket of cold water had been dunked over her. She drew in a sharp intake of breath as her eyes sought Jacob. He had finished eating and was now play fighting with Seth. Leah's warm hand on her shoulder drew her attention back to the other girl. "It won't happen." She whispered.

"Hopefully not." Leah's gaze was troubled. "But like I said I'm here." She said no more but stood up again and left Bella alone to think.

* * *

 _"When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our answers were things like astronaut, president, or in my case… princess._

 _When we were ten, they asked again and we answered – rock star, cowboy, or in my case, gold medalist. But now that we've grown up, they want a serious answer. Well, how 'bout this: who the hell knows?!_

 _This isn't the time to make hard and fast decisions, its time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere chill. Fall in love – a lot. Major in philosophy 'cause there's no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind. Then change it again, because nothing is permanent._

 _So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be… we won't have to guess. We'll know."_

Bella clapped along with the rest of the student body as she listened to Jessica Stanley's rousing graduation speech. She shook her head, smiling sardonically as she let Jessica take credit for the speech that she had written herself. She caught Jacob's eye in the distance. He was sitting with Billy and Charlie in the distance. He had watched her slaving over the words, initially being the one asked to give the speech. But Bella had bailed at the last minute, never one comfortable with public speaking. Jessica had soon taken up her slack. Instead Bella basked in the admiration coming from her family. Jacob and Charlie were standing up now, the former whooping loudly. Jacob stood head and shoulders above everyone else and was attracting quite a lot of attention. Bella smirked as she heard the girls whispering amongst themselves as they shot him admiring glances. Trust him to take centre stage.

Soon the formalities were over. Bella hurried over to her waiting family. She tore off her yellow cap and threw it in the air along with her peers as they celebrated their freedom. With her silky yellow robes billowing behind her Bella shot toward Jacob. He laughed, lifting her up into his arms and swinging her around in delight. As soon as he put her back on her feet she was pulled into her father's arms. Charlie's eyes were shining with pride as he congratulated her.

"It was all worth it, kiddo." He praised her. "You did good."

"Thanks, dad." Bella squeezed him before letting go and ducking down to hug Billy.

"Well done, Bella. Cora sends her congratulations. There's a free meal waiting for us later." Billy told her.

"Tell her thanks." Bella smiled as she drew back.

God, she felt so good. Her past self would have wilted being the centre of attention, even among her close family. But now she revelled in it. She was tucked under Jacob's arm as she watched the same scenes being repeated all around her. Her gaze drifted to the corner of the gym and her elation died a little as she saw the Cullens standing in the shadows talking amongst themselves. Edward and Alice had graduated along with her. So far they had kept their distance, but the infamous party was looming later that evening. As if he knew she was watching, Edward looked in her direction. His golden eyes were pleading as he caught and held her gaze for a long moment. Bella was the first to break the intense stare as she folded herself against Jacob's solid presence and tried to banish her worries from her mind.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I bet you thought Charlie and Billy were gonna catch Jake and Bella, lol ;)**_


	42. Chapter 42

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for continuing to follow this story!**_

 **Chapter Forty Two**

It was surprising the little details she had already forgotten. As Jacob drove down the Cullens long gravelled driveway toward their sumptuous mansion, she viewed it with fresh eyes. She didn't remember the driveway being this long and winding, but then she had always been with Edward. When he was behind the wheel in his expensive of Volvo and freed from the shackles of having to adhere to traffic regulations, he drove like a crazy person. She recalled always begging him to slow down, but he never listened, and eventually she had given up and let him channel his inner boy racer. Jacob was more careful. His car was precious to him, not as easily replaceable as the Cullens expensive vehicles. He had built the VW Rabbit from scratch and was immensely proud of it. He wouldn't risk getting a scratch on the paintwork and he was mindful that Bella didn't like going too fast.

Behind them Paul drove Sam's borrowed truck. Embry and Quil were riding with him in the back. Jacob was holding Bella's hand. He was frowning, looking uneasily around him as he headed toward the house. This was a fact finding mission only. None of them had dressed up for the occasion. The boys wore jeans and t-shirts and Bella was just as casual in a denim skirt teamed with a form fitting tee. She wore minimal makeup and had put her hair up into a high ponytail. She glanced at Jacob often, wondering what he was thinking. He had been tight lipped on the journey so far.

"Are you sure you feel comfortable doing this?" Bella checked as they drove around the last corner. She caught a glimpse of the upper section of the mansion above the tall trees surrounding it in a semi-circle. She was feeling tense, regretting that she had agreed to this mission. The look Edward had thrown her after the graduation ceremony had been heartbreaking and caught her completely off guard.

"It was my idea." Jacob muttered. His whole attention was focused on the house as it hove into view.

"Yeah." Bella gulped as she braced herself for her first proper look at the house since she had least been there with Edward. Her breath left her body as she stared at the large graceful house. It was larger than she remembered, rectangular and well proportioned. Before it had been painted a faded white, but obviously another fresh coat had been applied as it was simply dazzling. The southern wall, which was almost made entirely of glass, reflected the dozens of fairy lights which had been strung across the trees like a thousand stars. "Wow." She murmured.

Jacob glanced at her, still frowning. He pulled up behind the dozens of other cars already lining the driveway. The two huge double doors were thrown wide open as if in invitation to all and sundry. He could see the little psychic bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, her sombre mate standing soberly by her side, as she greeted everyone. "Well he looks like he'd rather be somewhere else."

"Jasper hates crowds." Bella confided. Alice's mate was dressed in a designer suit and tie. Obviously picked out by his mate. Bella felt sorry for him, forgetting that their last encounter in the house together had nearly ended up in her losing her life.

Before Jacob could respond, Paul banged on the window, startling them. Jacob scowled, opening the driver's door. "Watch the paintwork, Lahote." He warned him.

"Whatever." Paul sneered. HIs dark eyes were flicking all over the place, before finally settling on an attractive group of girls hovering in the doorway. He smirked. "Let's get this over with, dude. Then we can go our separate ways and I can have some fun."

"I didn't bring you here so you could score." Jacob cuffed Paul on the back of his head. "Focus."

Paul glowered before falling into line. The boys surrounded Bella like bodyguards, Jacob beside her and the others bringing up the rear. It looked quite comical to the casual observer, these four muscle bound guys standing protectively around the petite brunette. It just made them stand out even more than normal. Everyone was looking at them. Jacob and his brothers were so tall and imposing, Bella could hear the girls whispering to each other in admiration. She caught sight of Lauren in the distance eyeing up Jacob and she glared at her nemesis. Lauren glared back at her, clearly wondering what these beautiful guys were doing hanging out with Bella in the first place.

"Bitch." Bella muttered under her breath.

"Who?" Jacob bent down to whisper in her ear. He was used to being ogled and was ignoring the curious stares.

"Lauren." Bella scowled in the blonde's direction.

Jacob chuckled as he threw an arm over Bella's shoulder and kissed her pouty lips. His actions created even more attention. When he released Bella's lips, her skin was flushed and she was getting envious stares from the other girls. She noticed Alice had given up greeting the new arrivals and was gazing in her direction, clearly annoyed. Bella sighed heavily. She was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She fiddled with the end of her ponytail and tried to hide behind Jacob's tall frame as they drifted toward the entrance along with the others.

* * *

Inside the music was pumping. Bella winced at the loud beats. A huge disco ball was suspended from the high ceiling. The spherical ball rotated slowly, its faceted surface reflecting the light and sending it spilling across the room in a dazzling display of light and colour. More fairy lights were strung across the open plan lounge area. All the expensive furniture had been tided away to create a huge space, ideal for dancing. She saw Emmet Cullen, a pair of headphones on his head as he stood behind a huge deck, two loudspeakers dwarfed him on either side.

"You okay, Bells." Jacob asked her. He was picking up on her anxiety. He took her hand and laced their fingers together.

"I'm not sure." Bella admitted. She had spotted the rest of the family. Carlisle was standing with his beautiful mate, Esme. The handsome doctor smiled pleasantly at his guests, charming everyone with his easy manner. Esme hardly spoke. Bella knew that Esme found it difficult to spend long periods of time around humans. Soon she would retreat upstairs along with Carlisle. This was just for show. The family were putting on a magnificent performance. The only one who wasn't acting was Rosalie. The cool blonde stood beside Carlisle and glared haughtily at everyone. Lastly Bella's gaze travelled to Edward. He was dressed in designer threads like the rest of his family. His golden eyes sought hers. She felt her throat tighten as he stared at her longingly like he had at the graduation ceremony. Bella felt Jacob's fingers tighten around hers and she and tore her gaze away from Edward and looked up at him instead. "This is difficult." She said, strained.

Jacob was tense. He glowered in Edward's direction, knowing that the bloodsucker was deliberately trying to bait him by looking at Bella that way. He swallowed down his anger and tried to focus on his surroundings instead. "Let's have a good look around while we have the chance." He said to his brothers. He signalled for the others to head off in different directions while he remained with Bella. When they were gone he tugged on Bella's hand and led her toward the centre of the room. "Let's dance."

"But I can't." Bella pleaded.

"You can. Just relax." Jacob tugged her toward him and put his arms around her. Bella closed her eyes and rested her head against his warm chest. It was easier when she was blocking out her surroundings. With her cheek pressed over his heart, Bella counted the beats, the steady rhythm calmed her down and she lost herself in him and the music.

"Can I cut in?" Edward's smooth tones caught Bella by surprise. Her eyes flared open and she turned to look at him. One hand rested on Jacob's chest as she faced her former boyfriend.

"No." Jacob was tense. His jaw tight and his dark eyes raging.

"I wasn't asking you." Edward matched Jacob's steely gaze.

Bella's breath quickened as she got between them, panicking that things were going to kick off on the dance floor. Their confrontation was already attracting curious stares. "Please, don't fight." She pleaded.

"I'm not intending to." Edward's voice softened as he broke the staring contest with Jacob and rested his gaze lovingly on Bella. "You look beautiful." He complimented her.

Bella felt her heart rate quicken as well as her breathing. Edward's presence was intoxicating. She had forgotten how overwhelming being so close to him could be. She shook her head as if trying to clear it. Her hand was still resting on Jacob's chest. She could feel his deep rumbling growl of anger vibrating underneath his skin. The husky sound brought her out of her torpor. Bella felt her senses clearing, realising that Edward was trying to charm her, intentionally or not he had nearly succeeded. A lick of anger rippled down her spine. Instead of falling under his spell, she grabbed Jacob's hand and pulled him away. He followed reluctantly, casting one last glare in Edward's direction.

* * *

Bella could breathe outside. She let the fresh air fill her lungs. Jacob stood beside her, watching her warily. He had seen her reaction to Edward and didn't know what to think. But instead of jumping to conclusions, he waited for her to speak first. "Damn him." She cussed eventually.

"What are you thinking?" Jacob asked cautiously.

Bella raised her lambent brown eyes to his. She could see he was worried. He wasn't even pretending to hide it. She needed to choose her words carefully, to make him understand. "Edward warned me once what he was capable of doing. He told me that everything about him invites me in. His voice, his face, even his smell. It's what vampires do to draw people to them. Carlisle was doing it tonight as he charmed all the guests. I was blind to it before. I refused to see or maybe I just didn't want to. But...but Edward tried to dazzle me again just then and I feel so angry that he would dare try and pull that on me to get his own way."

Jacob put his hands on Bella's slim shoulders as she began to shake with the force of her anger. Her hands were balled into fists. "You resisted though, Bells. That was huge. You saw what he was doing and walked away."

"I want to hit him." Bella spat. She closed her eyes and drew in a quavering breath.

"Ditto." Jacob smiled wryly. He let go of her shoulders and took her hand again. "Come on, let's go and find the others and see what they've found out. Then maybe we can get out of here."

Bella nodded as she clung to his hand and let him lead her back inside the house. Neither of them were aware of the shadowy figure hiding downwind under the umbrella of trees. Victoria's red hair blazed around her shoulders as she gazed at the Cullens mansion with a calculating expression. Her plan had been to burn it to the ground with the coven inside it, but the unexpected party had thwarted her plans. She had been careful to keep her thoughts racing, never settling on anything to fool the little psychic. She suspected the little witch was keeping tabs on her but knew this way that Alice would have difficulty seeing what she intended to do. It was risky being so close to the house in case Edward Cullen picked up a stray thought. But there were so many people inside she doubted he would be able to detect her mind among so many others. She had come all this way on a whim and now she was stuck...or was she? A sly grin crossed her porcelain features as she whipped out her stolen cell phone and dialled Charlie Swan's number. She could still stir things up even if not in the way she had intended.

"Chief Swan."

"Hey, Charlie, it's Tori."

"Tori? I thought I would never hear from you again." Charlie was shocked that his secret wish had come true.

"I warned you I was unpredictable." Victoria laughed sultrily. "Are you up for some fun?" She teased.

"Now?" Charlie asked.

"Yes...now." Victoria's gaze focused on the opened doorway to the Cullens mansion which Jacob and Bella had just stepped through. "I've been invited to a party and I thought you could be my plus one." She offered with a cunning smile.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	43. Chapter 43

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Three**

"Where are you going?" Billy asked curiously when he noticed that his friend was making more of an effort with his appearance than normal. Charlie had on a clean pair of jeans teamed with a black button down shirt. He was also wearing cologne.

"What are you my dad now?" Charlie tried to make light of it but failed miserably, only piquing Billy's interest more.

"Do you have a date?"

"That's none of your business." Charlie huffed as he glanced in the hall mirror at his reflection again and smoothed down his moustache. Luckily over the intervening weeks since he had last seen Tori his eyebrows had grown back. He adjusted the collar of his shirt.

"It is a date, isn't it." Billy pressed. He didn't understand why the chief was being so secretive about it. "Is it with a woman?"

"Of course it's with a woman." Charlie snapped irritably as he glared at his friend.

"Aha, so it is a date." Billy said with a triumphant smile. "Why are you being so skittish about it? If you're nervous you could always join me and Cora tonight. We could double date. It will just be like the old days."

"No thank you." Charlie huffed again. "And I'd rather not think of the old days." He shuddered as he recalled some of the more dubious double dates he and Billy had been on before they met Sarah and Renee.

"Jeez, dial it down, old man." Billy muttered. "I was only trying to show you some support."

Charlie tried to dampen down his annoyance. He knew that Billy was only trying to be helpful, but he was too worked up with anticipation to share Tori's company with anyone else tonight. "Look, I'm a big boy. I promise I'll be fine. You and Cora have fun. I'll see you later."

"Okay." Billy agreed, mollified at Charlie's unexpected apology. "One last piece of advice though, chief."

"What?" Charlie tore his gaze away from his reflection and stared impatiently at Billy.

"Ditch that awful cologne, old man. It smells absolutely vile. I don't know why you insist on wearing it." Billy suggested earnestly. "We all had an awful reaction to it last time."

Charlie glared at his friend again, not amused by his stupid suggestion. Billy didn't know what he was talking about. The cologne was his lucky charm. He pulled on his smart jacket and patted the top pocket. He had a small bottle stashed inside just in case he wanted to top up the cologne. Just because the Bishop sisters had a bad reaction to it, didn't mean Tori would. He had been more discreet this time and only dabbed on a little. There was a loud beep outside. It had to be Tori. She said she would pick him up. Charlie hastily bid Billy goodnight and hurried out to the meet her.

* * *

Jacob and Bella met up with the others at the back of the mansion. The party was ramping up inside. Emmet had ditched the slow songs and was now pumping out Crazy in Love by Beyonce at ear splitting decibels. All three of the wolves were wincing as the pounding music affected their sensitive little ears. Even Bella was struggling.

"So, did you find anything?" Jacob asked his brothers. He had to raise his voice to be heard above the deafening beats of the song.

"We looked in all the rooms. It definitely doesn't seem like the leeches are intending to move on anytime soon. There were no signs of packing." Paul yelled back as he put his hands over his ears.

"And the stench was vile, man." Embry complained as he held his nose. "This place reeks like a morgue."

"He's not wrong. It smells rank, dude." Quil agreed. He pretended to gag. "The only room we couldn't break into was the head vamp's private study. Lahote tried to pick the lock but no luck."

"The family's private papers are kept in that room. I'm not surprised Carlisle has tighter security on that, especially tonight with so many people wandering around the house." Bella sighed. The night had been a bust. They hadn't really found out anything that they didn't know already. She could see the disappointment reflected on Jacob's face. He had been holding onto the hope that the Cullens would have shown some signs of moving on after graduation was over.

"Are we done here?" Paul yelled above the music.

"Not yet." Jacob yelled back at him. "Let's hang around a bit more and see if anything turns up."

Embry, Quil and Paul groaned in unison. Jacob frowned at them before ushering them away. "Keep your eyes and ears open." He warned them.

"Whatever." Paul threw over his shoulder. He had spotted a group of attractive girls and immediately made a move toward them.

"Don't worry I'll keep Lahote in line." Quil grinned wickedly as he made a beeline for the same group of girls.

Embry shook his head in disbelief. "Don't worry, Jake. I'll keep Ateara in line." He promised before hurrying after his friend.

"The only thing them three are gonna keep an eye on are those girls." Jacob said irritably to Bella.

"Don't worry, Jake. They know what to do." Bella said sympathetically as she took his hand and raised it to her lips. "The girls are a good way to blend in."

"I suppose." Jacob had to laugh at her attempt to cheer him up. "Have I told you that I love you today?" He asked, throwing an arm across her shoulders.

"Plenty, but you can tell me again." Bella replied with a teasing smile.

* * *

Tori had opened all the windows in the car as soon as he got inside. Charlie's head was nearly blown off by the strong winds coming through the gaps. She was barely keeping to the speed limit and seemed in an awful hurry to get to the party she had invited him to. "How are your eyes healing up?" He asked loudly as he tried to make small talk. The stiff breeze coming through the opened windows was making his eyes water. Tori wasn't affected as she had the same ray bans on as before shielding her eyes.

"My eyes?" Tori turned her head to glance at him. She seemed confused by his question.

"Your operation..." Charlie fumbled. "You said that's why you have to wear the sunglasses."

"Oh, yes." Tori nodded distractedly as she flicked a lock of her red hair away from her face. She returned her attention back to the road, her long white fingers gripping the steering wheel tightly. A scowl crossed her pretty face before it relaxed again. "Can I ask you something?" She muttered.

"Anything?" Charlie sat forward in his chair eagerly.

"Can you smell something?" Tori asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Not in this wind." Charlie was flummoxed. He sniffed himself discreetly, worried that he had sweat patches or something. All he could smell was the Blue Lagoon aftershave. "I honestly can't smell anything."

"Maybe my nose is too sensitive." Tori mumbled as she drew in a sharp breath. She coughed slightly before glancing at Charlie again. "You didn't step in anything before you got in the car, did you?"

Charlie felt his face heat up in embarrassment. He prayed in his head, hoping that he hadn't accidentally stepped in some kind of animal excrement. This date was already turning into a disaster. He was strapped in and there wasn't enough room to check the underside of his shoes. "I don't think so." He apologised.

"Never mind." Tori waved her hand vaguely. "I'll just hold my breath."

Charlie sank lower in his seat in mortification. He was glad he had brought the small bottle of cologne with him. As soon as Tori's back was turned he'd douse some more on his skin. That should cover the peculiar smell she kept referring to. His night could still be saved yet.

* * *

Jacob and Bella were dancing again. Emmet had switched Beyonce for Beverly Craven and now the floor was filled with dancing couples. Surrounding them were the others. Paul had charmed the group of girls he had targeted and now they were coupled up with Quil and Embry, too. Jacob occasionally met his brothers eyes. They nodded subtly at him. They were still on full alert while pretending to focus on their dates. Bella's head was resting against Jacob, but out of the corner of her eye she could see Edward glaring at them from a distance. She sighed and closed her eyes to block him out. It may be difficult for him but he needed to see her with Jacob. He needed to see how committed she was to him. Maybe it would convince Edward there was no point in waiting around, hoping she would change her mind. That was never going to happen.

* * *

As soon as Tori turned off the main road and headed down the track leading to the Cullen's, Charlie finally realised where they were going. His brow wrinkled in confusion. "Is the Cullens party the one you were referring to?"

"Yes." Tori hissed.

"But...I don't understand. My daughter is there tonight. It's a graduation party." Charlie tried to make sense of it. He gazed at Tori's mesmerising face and was surprised to see her beautiful features twisted into a bitter scowl. "What is really going on?" He asked quietly. "I thought you didn't know the Cullens."

"I lied." Tori seethed. She had reached the long driveway. She slammed her foot on the accelerator and the car sped up, the tires crunching on the gravel.

Charlie gasped and held onto the dashboard to steady himself. "How do you know them? Is this something to do with your former boyfriend. The guy you said was very important to you." He could tell by Tori's expression that he had guessed the truth. "You said he was killed in a hunting accident when he was pursuing his last quarry."

Tori changed gear abruptly, slowing down slightly, before speeding up again. Charlie was thrown back in his seat. "Were the Cullens involved, Tori? Is this why we're here?" He demanded breathlessly.

Tori slammed on the brakes. The car swerved, the tires locking and throwing gravel in the air. Charlie was jolted forward, his seat belt biting into his skin, leaving him winded. It took him a few moments to recover his wits. When he did so he glanced at Tori. She was sitting rigidly in her seat, facing forward. Her chest was still, it was like she wasn't even breathing.

"If you have evidence that the Cullens were involved in his death then you have to report it." Charlie suggested cautiously. "I'm a cop. I can help you. We can go to the station right now if you want and get an investigation underway."

Tori turned her head and stared at him. Her expression was unreadable. He wished he could see her eyes. Slowly the tension in her arms eased and she seemed to breathe again. "In your world everything is black and white, everything is straightforward, so simple. But mine is made up of shades of gray." Her fingers tapped on the steering wheel. "This isn't something I can report. What the Cullens did cannot be punished by the law. I live by my own rules, my own laws."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Charlie pleaded with her. "I guess that you don't live by conventional means. I know that this car is stolen." He nodded toward the wires poking out of the dash. "By rights I should arrest you right now and take you in. But you are suffering, Tori. You're grieving for something that you can't change."

Tori fell silent as she mulled over his words. Her red lips parted in a sardonic smile. "You are an unusual man, Charlie Swan." She whispered. "I don't know what it is about you." She shook her red curls and began to drive again, slower this time.

Within a few moments the Cullens mansion hove into view. The gravelled entrance was awash with cars. They could hear the loud music reverberating through the opened windows. The fairy lights strung outside swung in the brisk wind blowing outside. Tori was the first to get out of the car, Charlie followed more slowly. He was still trying to second guess the red head's intentions. The sane part of himself was telling him to run a mile, but his reckless half couldn't deny his deep attraction for this damaged woman. The two halves battled against each other like the devil and angel on his shoulders.

"What do you think confronting them in public is going to do?" Charlie asked quietly. "You will only end up hurting yourself."

"No." Tori said darkly. "They will be the ones to be hurt."

"Tori, don't talk like that." Charlie took her elbow and turned her to face him. She seemed to study him, drawing closer, until her nose wrinkled as she caught a whiff of his appalling aftershave. Tori blanched and stepped back. "Oh, sorry, I forgot." Charlie's skin was blazing. He had forgotten about the excrement on his shoes. "I'm handling this really badly."

Tori pursed her lips. She suddenly seemed amused. "You really are an unusual man. You fascinate me." She said again, despite herself.

"Is that a good thing?" Charlie asked hopefully. He was dazzled by her smile. Her presence was intoxicating.

"Right now it is." Tori held her breath and placed her hand on his elbow. "Shall we?"

"Are you sure about this?" Charlie checked.

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life." Tori stated firmly. She began to walk forward, tugging Charlie along with her. "After this is over I have something to give to you." She said, changing the subject completely.

"What?" Charlie felt like he was suffering whiplash with her abrupt change of moods. She was smiling at him fondly now.

"It was something that was taken from your daughter. I thought I would return it." Tori said cryptically. "Don't concern yourself now. We have other things to concentrate on." Her expression turned serious as her free hand patted the pocket where the cheque that Bella had given to Renee was hidden for safekeeping.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	44. Chapter 44

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Four**

"Fuck."

It was so rare for Jacob to drop the F bomb around her that it startled Bella. She opened her eyes in shock, expecting to Edward trying to cut in again or something. What she wasn't expecting was to see her father walking into the party with Victoria on his arm. Jacob had grabbed her hand and gently pushed her behind him as he stood in front of her protectively. Paul, Embry and Quil had given up any pretence of being interested in their dates, and instead abandoned them to surround Jacob and Bella in a protective circle.

"What do we do, man?" Paul hissed in an aside to Jacob.

"We wait." Jacob cautioned. He motioned for Quil and Embry to stand either side of Bella like a couple of sentinels while he and Paul began to weave their way through the crowd toward Charlie and Victoria. He couldn't believe the redhead would be so blasé as to waltz right into the Cullens residence like this. He had been hoping that she had had really gone for good. His head was spinning and he didn't know what to think. In the distance he saw the Cullens circling. They were gathered in a group, whispering urgently to each other. They appeared as shocked as they all were. Victoria had taken everyone by surprise.

* * *

"Let's dance." Tori smiled flirtatiously at Charlie as she ignored the other guests who were gawking at them. Chief Swan was a well known and respected figure in the area and the newly graduated teens were curious why he was there. Many of them looked in Bella's direction, but they could hardly see her as she was squashed between Quil and Embry's muscular bodies as they guarded her protectively.

Charlie was mesmerised by Tori. She was standing so close, invading all his senses. Her sweet scent, her perfect smile, the way her porcelain skin glowed under the rotating lights all drew his focus. He shook his head as he tried to concentrate. "I want to find my daughter first and tell her I'm here before we dance." He said eventually as he fought to calm his racing heart.

Tori laughed seductively as she rested a perfectly manicured hand on his chest. Charlie's breath caught in his throat as her long white fingers splayed and stroked the thin material of his shirt. Her touch was ice cold, but it was so hot inside with so many warm bodies surrounding them that it only served to heighten his desire for her. "You won't need to find your daughter. Her boyfriend has found you." Tori dropped her hand to her side and stepped back, allowing Charlie to see Jacob approaching in the distance.

"Right." He said gruffly. He smiled sheepishly at Tori, feeling like a fool. Her presence was so intoxicating he couldn't think straight. He could tell by her amused smile that she knew what effect she was having on him. It was with extreme effort that he tore his gaze away from her lovely face and turned to face Jacob. "Hey, kid." He nodded in greeting. "Where's Bells?"

"Being looked after by some of my friends." Jacob looked pointedly at Victoria when he said this, subtly warning her that there was no way in hell that she was going to get a chance to get near Bella. Lahote hovered restlessly by his side. Jacob could tell that Paul wanted to attack. He was impressed with his restraint. Paul was definitely learning to control his temper.

"That's good." Charlie replied, he was totally unaware of the silent power play between Jacob and his female companion. "Cullen hasn't been causing any trouble has he?" He checked.

"Nothing that I couldn't handle." Jacob was still focused on Victoria. The red head was playing with her gold necklace, smiling like any innocent bystander. Jacob had to give her credit for her acting. Charlie was totally oblivious to the snake standing by his side. "Can I have a word, Charlie?" He asked. He needed to draw the older man away from Victoria and get him out of harm's way along with Bella.

"It can wait, kid." Charlie glanced at Tori standing beside him. "I'm kinda occupied right now. You should get back to Bells in case her ex makes a move again."

"This is..." Jacob tried again but was suddenly interrupted by Victoria. She let out a tinkling laugh, drowning out his attempts to speak. All eyes were drawn in her direction.

"Why don't we all go and greet your girl?" Tori slipped her arm through Charlie's and gave him an affectionate smile. "You can introduce me to her properly. Then maybe we can have that dance." She teased him lightly.

"Good idea." Charlie smiled back at her. He was on cloud nine.

Jacob couldn't stop it. His eyes glowed with anger, he glanced at Paul and saw his eyes reflected the same. Lahote's arms were trembling slightly, a dead giveaway that he was struggling not to phase. Everything hung on a knife edge. Jacob was walking on a thin tightrope, any second it could give way underneath him and they would all be exposed. "Go outside for some fresh air." He suggested to Paul. He saw Lahote frown and he glared at him. "Check in with Sam. Let him know what's happening."

Paul finally understood. He nodded sharply at Jacob and left abruptly. He was soon swallowed up by the heaving crowd gyrating on the dance floor. Jacob made sure to keep in front of Victoria as he made his way slowly toward Bella and his brothers. There was no way the red head would dare to try anything in public. She was purposefully taunting him, that's what it had to be. She was trying to show him that right now she held all the cards and he was powerless.

"Bells." Charlie hailed his daughter as they drew near. He wore a proud smile, ecstatic that he was finally going to get to show Tori off to his beloved daughter. He was perplexed that she didn't run over to greet him, but instead stayed close to Quil and Embry, looking wary.

* * *

Bella's head was aching. The house was getting stuffy and she was feeling lightheaded with fear. She couldn't wrap her head around what was going on. It was like her worst nightmare. Her father was once again in Victoria's clutches. She had allowed herself to hope and now she was being punished in the worst way possible. As she saw her father draw near she kept her gaze focused on Jacob. She could see that he was tense. Things were not working out the way any of them intended. Everything was out of their control and that made it even more frightening.

"Bells, this is Tori." Charlie smiled as he motioned for Bella to come forward again.

Bella's eyes flicked to Jacob. He had taken her hand and was holding on to it tightly. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves as she slowly focused her attention on Victoria's smug face. "It's nice to meet you." She said unsteadily.

"The pleasure is all mine." Tori let go of Charlie's arm and stepped forward, holding out her hand for Bella to shake.

Jacob stiffened, his body like a coiled spring, ready to jump in front of Bella if Victoria pulled any sudden moves. He watched as Bella took Victoria's hand in hers and shook it limply. She trembled, her brown eyes widening as the red head suddenly pulled her close, wrapping her hard arms around her in a tight hug. Jacob scowled, darting forward, ready to snatch Bella out of the vampire's grasp. But then he heard Victoria whispering. Her mouth was close to Bella's ear, but Jacob could still hear every word, even above the pounding music.

 _"I am not here for you_." Victoria whispered to Bella before she let her go and stepped back, smiling up at Charlie serenely as if nothing was amiss.

* * *

"I think you made quite an impression on my daughter." Charlie said to Tori as they began to dance. He held her in his arms, feeling ten feet tall and as if he was floating on air. Tori was a graceful mover. He was supposed to be leading but he was certain it was her.

"Yes, I think I got my message across." Tori mused with a swift smile.

"Message?" Charlie's brow furrowed as he tried to understand her. She said the oddest things sometimes.

"I meant that she got the message I wasn't trying to take you away from her." Tori explained easily as they swayed to the beat of the music.

"Ah, I see." Charlie nodded in understanding. Over Tori's shoulder he could see the Cullens. The family were gathered together in a tight group, looking tense and strained. Tori's surprise appearance had definitely unsettled them, which only gave credence to her version of events involving her former lover. Somehow the family was involved in his loss, but Charlie didn't know how. His logical mind began to grind its gears, clearing the fog in his brain created by Tori's exhilarating presence. He had so many questions and no answers. It was a mystery. And there was nothing Charlie Swan liked more then a puzzle to solve, and if he could rescue this beautiful woman gliding in his arms at the same time than all the better.

They continued to revolve in a circle. Jacob and Bella were dancing close by with his two friends. Charlie could see them watching him and Tori warily. He sighed, wishing that Bella would stop worrying about his interaction with women. He was a grown man and could look after himself. He gave her a reassuring wink over Tori's shoulder, but this still didn't seem to ease her troubled expression, as she continued to stare at him with wide anxious eyes. Then suddenly his mind was on something else entirely as he saw Doctor Cullen weaving his way toward them through the crowd.

"Tori..."

"I know." Tori said darkly as she stopped dancing and waited for the head of the house to reach them.

"Victoria, what a pleasant surprise." Carlisle Cullen's face was as cold as his voice as he greeted Tori with fake politeness.

"I doubt it." Tori sneered.

"Why don't we go somewhere private so we can talk?" Carlisle suggested in the same icy tone.

"The time for talking is over." Tori snapped harshly.

"There is always room for negotiation." Carlisle interjected smoothly.

"You heard the lady." Charlie glared fiercely at Doctor Cullen as he stood protectively in front of Tori. "Now is not the time."

The wind was taken out of Carlisle's sails by the police chief's harsh tone. His eyes drifted to Jacob and Bella, who were standing nearby, not even pretending to dance anymore. Quil and Embry hovered close by their side. Their little confrontation was also attracting curious stares from the other dancing couples. Carlisle took the opportunity to withdraw. "As you wish." He murmured. "My door is open when you are ready."

With this parting comment Carlisle spun on his heel and vanished abruptly as he went to rejoin his family.

* * *

"So your full name is Victoria." Charlie questioned as he tried to lighten the tense atmosphere. "Why Tori and not Vicky?"

"Why Charlie and not Chuck?" Tori retorted with a teasing smile.

"Touché." Charlie chuckled. "Shall we dance?" He asked.

Tori's teasing smile faded and her expression turned serious. "You distract me too much from my goal, Charlie Swan." She said quietly.

Charlie sighed. "If you still feel the need to confront the Cullens we can do it together. Although it would help if I had the full story."

"You are an honourable man. I have never met any quite like you." Tori whispered. She was quiet for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jacob and Bella, plus his two friends still watching her warily. Seeing Bella's anxious face reminded her of why she was here. Tori licked her lips and gazed directly into Charlie's eyes. "I think I will call it a night."

"We can go somewhere else." Charlie offered, desperate for the night not to end already.

Tori drew in a sharp breath, turning away in an attempt to hide her face from him. "Wait for me outside. Take your daughter and her friends with you." She said thickly.

"Tori?" Charlie said cautiously. "What are you intending to do?"

"Nothing." Tori suddenly dazzled him with a bright smile. "I just need to visit the ladies room. I'll meet you outside." She was about to withdraw from him when she paused. She could see Jacob and Bella approaching. The wolf boys would have overheard every bit of their conversation. They would make sure Charlie went outside like she had warned him. Taking another fake breath, Tori pulled out the check she had hidden in her pocket. "I told you I wanted to return something that was taken from your daughter. Don't open it until later." She slipped the check into the pocket of his jacket, before quickly skimming her cool lips across the skin of his cheek. The smell of his awful cologne made her cough and she drew back quickly. "Please go." She said with difficulty as she ran away from him.

* * *

Tori could hear Charlie protesting as Jacob and his friends practically forced him outside. The fracas was drawing quite a crowd which had been her intention. The other guests were following, drawn by their insatiable curiosity to see what was going on. She knew that the Cullens were following her every move. She purposefully darted up the spiral staircase, drawing them up to the top of the mansion. She had a gift for evasion and she laughed as she heard the coven cursing as she avoided their attempts to capture her. Tori kept her mind flicking from one decision to the next in order to fool the little psychic and irritate the one she hated most of all, Edward Cullen. She snarled when she pictured his smug face in her mind. She hadn't been there when her James was killed, but she knew the whole family had played their part in it. Bella Swan had been nothing but a lure for her mate. Tori didn't know whether she was angry at her mate for playing his sick and twisted games, thus recklessly ending his existence, or the Cullens for not stopping him at the outset.

So much didn't make sense about that night. There were seven Cullens and only three of them. Why had the coven not attacked if they were so determined to protect Charlie's daughter from James' wrath. It would have been so easy. They were outnumbered and three of the Cullens were gifted. The plan they had set out, separating Bella and sending her off alone with only the little psychic and her mate to protect her, made no sense to Tori. How had Bella, a fragile human, managed to escape from her protectors and why had the little psychic not seen it. Her interactions with Charlie had made Tori question everything about what had happened on that night. Charlie was right, James was a brute, he had opened Tori's eyes regarding her obsession with him. If James had loved her, he wouldn't have left her in order to carry out another one of his sick and twisted games. But in her mind she was beginning to think that the Cullens had been playing a sick game of their own that night. The coven purported to be something different but in the end they were just the same.

They were close. Tori had reached the attic. She climbed the ladder swiftly, the family hot on her heels. They were intent on killing her this time. They would show no mercy if they captured her. She would do the same. Tori retreated to the furthest corner of the large attic, hiding in the shadows. First the coven leader appeared, then his mate, followed by the cool blonde and her big burly partner. Lastly the little psychic and her partner along with Edward entered the draughty room.

"You have nowhere to go." Carlisle stated coolly.

"Neither have you." Tori's smile was bright in the darkness as she pulled the flare out of the back pocket of her jeans and lit it. She threw it in the coven's direction, startling them, before racing for the exit, skidding down the ladder, kicking it to one side and locking the family inside the attic. Then using the accelerant she had brought with her, she set the place on fire.

* * *

Smoke could be seen coming from the roof of the Cullen's property. The alarm had been given as soon as it was spotted. The rest of the pack had arrived by this point, alerted by Paul. They surged around the palatial mansion, helping anyone who was still trapped inside to get free. After ten minutes flames could be seen licking along the roof tiles.

"Tori! I can't find Tori." Charlie cried desperately. He had searched the crowds but couldn't find her. "She must still be inside."

"Dad, stay here." Bella pleaded as tears ran down her cheeks. Tori had gotten her vengeance after all. There was no sign of the Cullens. Nausea welled in her throat as she tried to hold Charlie back. "It's too dangerous. The house is on fire."

"I have to." Charlie whispered hoarsely as he shook her off and began to run toward the huge entranceway. He didn't get far though. Jacob appeared and wrapped his huge muscled arms around the police chief, wrestling him to the ground. Charlie fought him but Jacob was too strong. Bella sank down onto her knees beside them as she watched the Cullens place burn.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	45. Chapter 45

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Five**

The fire trucks arrived in record time, along with the local police and paramedics. The first thing the authorities did was clear the area, ushering away the panicked guests and dividing them into groups, those who had escaped the mansion unscathed and those who had suffered minor injuries or smoke inhalation. Thankfully there weren't many of the latter. The wolf pack had managed to pull out any last minute stragglers in time and the fire was contained at the top of the house. Now that his colleagues from the station were here to assist him, Charlie took control of the situation, using his authority to get things moving so that the fire could be controlled and he could get inside to search for Tori. He was angry with Jacob for preventing him from going inside when the fire first broke out. He spoke sharply to him, pushing him and Bella away when they tried to get him to calm down.

"Just stay out of my way." He barked at them before striding off to join the other officers and fire crew who were attempting to battle the blaze.

Bella was close to tears. She huddled by Jacob's side, looking forlornly in Charlie's direction. She recognised so much of herself in him right now. He was willing to risk his own life to save Tori, even if it meant running stupidly into a burning building. Months ago she had done the same thing for Edward when she had run off to Italy with Alice to save him. Now things had escalated beyond control. Victoria had gotten her hooks into Charlie so bad that he was acting out of control in his efforts to save her. He would have no idea that she would have already saved herself. Bella suspected that Victoria was long gone now she had wreaked her vengeance against the Cullens. She may have changed her mind about including Bella in her revenge plan but she had still pulled Bella into the mess by involving Charlie.

Out of the gloom Sam appeared. The Alpha's face was grim as he joined Jacob and Bella in front of the burning building. "Any sign of the Cullens?" Jacob asked him quietly so as not to be overheard.

"Some of them may have escaped." Sam confided. "From a distance we could see a hole punched in the roof. But we're not sure if all of them made it out or just a few. Their scent trails are all over the place anyway, and with the weather and all the smoke damage, it's hard to tell what's new and what's old."

Bella's eyes glistened as she looked up at Sam's stern face. She didn't know what to feel. Her emotions were flip flopping all over the place. She may have broken up with Edward and his family, but that didn't mean she had stopped caring about them. Like Jacob she had wanted them to move on, but not in such a brutal way. It was tragic. "They could have all gotten out." She whispered hopefully.

"It's a fortified roof. There's steel crisscrossing the whole top aperture. It would take a very strong vampire to bust through that. And the fire started so quickly. Whatever accelerant the red head used ignited quickly." Sam did not bother mincing his words. He heard Bella sob but felt no sympathy. The Cullens moving to the area and selfishly staying for so long had ruined his life, they had ruined everyone's lives. None of them would have phased if the coven had not settled in Forks, creating chaos in their wake.

"Alright, Sam." Jacob put his arm around Bella in a comforting hug while she tried to compose herself. He understood that she was grieving for the Cullens, they had been a big part of her life. He was doing his best to be empathetic and mindful of her feelings, but inside he was on the same page as Sam. The coven had caused nothing but grief to everyone they had come into contact with. Bella's life had been constantly in danger when she was around them, the whole thing with James would never have happened if Edward had stayed away from her in the beginning and left her alone. She had even blindly risked her life when she went to save him in Italy after he pathetically tried to end his existence because he mistakenly thought she had died.

"You should take Bella home." Sam said eventually, drawing Jacob out of his dark thoughts. "The rest of us are gonna hang around for a while until the fire is put out."

"Thanks, Sam." Jacob nodded gratefully. "Can I ask you one last favour?"

"Hurry up then, Jake. I want to get back to the others." Sam replied impatiently.

"Can you keep a close eye on Charlie when I'm gone? He's not himself. I'm worried he might do something stupid in his attempt to find Victoria."

"So it's true he fell under the red head's spell. Like father like daughter it seems." Sam snapped testily.

Bella heard his snarky comment. She raised her head to find Jacob glaring at Uley. She put a hand on his chest before he issued a retort. "Except my dad has no idea what Victoria really is, does he?" She spat sarcastically. "Because we're not allowed to tell him."

"Bells, honey, calm down." Jacob warned her. He cuddled her and pressed a warm kiss on her forehead. She was shaking with anger.

"Don't tell me to calm down." Bella lost her temper and snapped at him too. "I'm sick of secrets. I'm sick of keeping dad in the dark. I'm sick of pretending. I hate lying to him all the time. At least I knew what Edward was. My dad has no idea what or who Tori is."

"Take her home, Jacob. She's getting hysterical." Sam had run out of patience. He turned away and ran back into the trees surrounding the burning building.

* * *

"I'm not hysterical, Jake." Bella said on the drive home. "I want to tell dad. Its time."

Jacob glanced at her in concern. "I understand, Bells. You know I do. But there is a reason we only let a chosen few know our secrets. The more people that know the greater the danger that our secret will be exposed to the wider world. Even Sue had no idea about the pack until after Harry died."

"Yeah and look how that worked out." Bella retorted bitterly. She folded her arms across her chest as if creating a barrier between them. "No wonder Sue couldn't grieve properly with that secret dumped on her right after the funeral. She only just buried her husband and then finds out her children are shifters and that every day they're putting their lives in danger to protect the res from vampires."

"It wasn't quite like that." Jacob protested. "Old Quil was as sensitive as he could be when he told her."

"Yeah and she gave him a black eye for his pains. Good on her." Bella was getting more and more irate with every passing second. "Sue should have been told right from the beginning. She's their mother for goodness sake. How is telling her gonna be dangerous for the pack? And my dad has been best friends with Billy and Harry since they were kids. Your dad should have trusted him enough to tell him the truth as soon as the Cullens moved to Forks. Maybe then things would have been different. Maybe if he had been in the know then he would have been able to stop me getting involved with them. If Billy had been brave enough to trust his best friend with one of his biggest secrets then maybe none of this would have happened."

Jacob had never heard Bella talk like this before. She had always been so accepting. She had always told him she understood his dilemma. There was a fine line in telling the truth or keeping it secret for the greater good. He tried to concentrate on the road as Bella continued to rage at him. "My dad did the best he could do at the time. He warned you constantly about the Cullens."

"Like that was ever going to work. Billy is not my dad, Charlie is. If he knew than maybe he could have stopped me somehow. Maybe I would have list..."

"You are too damn stubborn to listen to anyone." Jacob finally snapped. He took a deep breath and turned the car off the road. He was too wound up to concentrate on driving. He parked up and faced Bella. Hot angry tears were welling in her eyes. He hated that he had hurt her. He hated fighting. He couldn't remember the last time they had fought so badly. Oh, yes, that had been over the Cullens, too. "You were too involved with Cullen back then to listen to reason, Bells. And you know it. Even if Charlie knew about them and tried to intervene you still would have found a way to disobey him to see the bloodsucker."

"You don't know that." Bella cried.

"I do know that, Bells." Jacob said flatly. "I know because I was there. I remember what you were like."

Bella's lips parted and she drew in a shaky breath. She blinked back her tears and concentrated on her shaking hands. "I was there too." She reminded him. "I watched you struggle after you phased. I had to listen to you describe yourself as a monster. You hated what you had become, it took you a long time to accept it. I remember how hurt you were that Billy didn't tell you what was going to happen to you. I know that all of the pack are still bitter with the elders for keeping them in the dark, especially Sam Uley. You had a right to know, Jacob. Doesn't my dad have the same rights, too?"

The painful memories Bella had dredged up of his first phase hit him hard. Jacob climbed out of the car to put some space between them. He walked back and forth along the side of the road, his fingers sinking into his hair as he tried to fight off old hurts. Bella may have been blunt in her efforts to drive her point home, but she was right. It had taken him a while to forgive his father for keeping him in the dark. He heard the passenger door of the VW Rabbit squeak as Bella climbed out to join him. She was crying again, but this time her tears were of regret. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"C'mere." Jacob held out his arms to her as his anger faded away. They were both stressed to the max. It had been a long night and it wasn't over yet. Even though Jacob had defended the tribes decision to keep it all hush hush, he couldn't deny what Bella said wasn't true. "I'll talk to my dad when we get back." He promised Bella as he leaned down and kissed all her tears away. "You're right. It's time Charlie was told the truth before anymore damage is done."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	46. Chapter 46

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Six**

Bella went to her room and left Jacob alone to talk with his father. She knew it was going to be a difficult conversation and thought it was best to leave them alone so they could thrash it out without having to worry about her feelings. Billy was in a good mood after having spent another pleasant evening with Cora. Their relationship was coming along in leaps and bounds. She made him feel like a new man. He was eager to share his happiness with Jacob, but his son appeared unusually subdued and serious. Billy wondered if he'd had a fight with Bella when she had gone upstairs after bidding them a cursory goodnight.

"Is everything alright in wonderland?" He joked, hoping to at least get his son to raise a smile. But instead Jacob shot him a dark look. He clearly wasn't amused. "I was just teasing." Billy tried to backtrack quickly. "All couples argue."

"Can you just cut the crap and listen, dad." Jacob interjected harshly.

"Alright, calm down." Billy retorted. He eyed his son irritably. "You're lucky we're alone and Charlie's not here. He had a hot date tonight."

"Yeah, his date was very hot." Jacob scowled, glaring at his father angrily.

"You've seen him?" Billy was totally bewildered and couldn't understand Jacob's pissy mood.

"He rocked up at the Cullens party." Jacob snapped as he finally took a seat opposite Billy. His left leg jiggled restlessly as he fought to stay calm.

"You're joking?" Billy sat forward in his wheelchair, feeling even more confused than before. "Why on earth would he take his date there? He never said. But then he was in a bit of an odd mood when he left..."

" _His date was Victoria._ " Jacob interrupted him sharply. He saw Billy's eyes open wide in shock. "So now you know."

* * *

Billy was so stunned that it took him a while to absorb the bombshell that Jacob had just dropped on him. He was struggling to believe it was true. He couldn't picture Charlie interacting with the wild redhead, let alone actually forming some kind of relationship with her. It was just too bizarre for words. It was like history was repeating itself. He felt full of regret that he had taken his eye off the ball and become so immersed in his relationship with Cora that he had missed all the important signs. But now it seemed so obvious. Charlie had been acting oddly for weeks. His mood swings, so like Bella's had been when Edward Cullen had left her so abruptly, were not so extreme, but still similar. It was like his friend had been suffering withdrawal symptoms. And now it had culminated into this. The consequences could have been more horrifying than they were already. The police chief had been a pawn in Victoria's wicked games, thankfully she'd suffered a touch of humanity and been merciful enough to let him live, along with Bella and everyone else at the party. She had gone after the Cullens instead.

"I can't believe this." Billy lamented. "Why didn't I see it coming?"

"Focus, dad." Jacob's tone was hard. He was getting impatient and wasn't interested in his father's feelings of regret. Charlie would be back soon and they needed to reach an agreement that it was time to tell Bella's father the truth about everything. "It's time we told Charlie what's really been going on."

Billy gasped, shaking his head in disagreement. "That's not possible. I know the chief, he wouldn't understand."

"He could have DIED tonight. What is there to understand?" Jacob snapped as he lost his cool completely. "You don't seem to realise what a bullet we all dodged tonight."

Billy swallowed thickly as he quailed under the force of his son's frustration. "This is Bella talking. She's persuaded you that this is a good idea. I know that you understand why we've had to keep everything secret. I also understand why she wants Charlie to be told but she's thinking with her heart and not her head..."

"Oh for fucks sake!" Jacob swore. "Don't preach to me. Stop recycling Old Quil's and the other elders bullshit. Maybe it needed to be that way back in the dark ages but not now. And we're talking about telling Charlie, not announcing it on social media. Bells is right, he should have been told when the Cullens first moved here. We all should." He muttered the last bit under his breath, but Billy still heard him.

"I explained why I didn't tell you." Billy pleaded. "I wanted you to lead as normal a life as possible. I didn't want you burdened with that knowledge. I was thinking of you. Just like I'm thinking of Charlie now. He's my best friend. He won't react well to this. He had always been a pragmatic man. He won't want to believe it."

"Then I'll show him. I'll phase right in front of him if he needs to see the proof with his own damn eyes." Jacob snapped again.

"You're just being ridiculous now, son." Billy rubbed a hand over his face as he tried desperately to think of a good reason to thwart his son's plans to spill the truth to Charlie without consulting everyone else first. "Why don't you rest? You're stressed and need to relax so we can talk about this more rationally."

Jacob knew his father was trying to put him off. He just wasn't sure if it was because he was so desperate to abide by the old rules or he was scared of facing his best friend and having to tell Charlie he had been lying to him for the last forty plus years. Jacob suspected it was the latter. He stood up, feeling too angry with his dad to look at him right now. He began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Billy called after him.

"I'm going upstairs to join Bella." Jacob replied without even bothering to look back.

"You can't sleep in her room. When Charlie comes home..."

"You don't get to lecture me, dad." Jacob had reached the bottom of the stairs. He finally turned around and met his dad's stricken gaze. "You lost that right when you threw me to the wolves."

Ignoring Billy's pained gasp, Jacob ran swiftly up the stairs to Bella's room.

* * *

"You heard?" Jacob joined Bella on her bed. Her arms were open and waiting for him. She sank her fingers into his hair as she guided his head to her breast. He was shaking with tension after his confrontation with Billy.

"You guys weren't exactly quiet." Bella sighed as she massaged his scalp with gentle fingers.

"He's afraid." Jacob rolled onto his back and slid down so his head was resting in Bella's lap. He looked up at her sweet face and felt his tension ebb away. He loved her so much it hurt. He wished that he could pick her up and run away from their problems. He was tired of having to be the mature one while all the adults around him acted like selfish children. He understood his dad's fear, but Billy should man up and face it. Just like he'd had to face everything head on his whole life.

Bella was quiet for a moment as she continued to run her fingers through his shaggy hair. It was growing out again and the back was nearly touching his broad shoulders. "Did you mean what you said about showing my dad if it came down to it?" She whispered.

"Yes." Jacob promised her. "I've planted the seed in my dad's head. If he doesn't act on it, then I will."

* * *

It was gone two in the morning when Charlie let himself into the house. It had taken longer than expected for the fire crews to put out the blaze. The fire chief had confided to him they suspected arson. Charlie's heart had sunk as he followed the investigators around the mansion looking for evidence. The lower storey was still primarily intact, the walls were blackened from smoke damage and damp with water, but other than that they had escaped the worst of the fire. Upstairs was a different matter. The ceilings had caved in. There was a gaping hole where the attic should be. It was impossible to do a thorough investigation as it was so dark and the building was still hot in some places. But the good news was that no actual bodies had been found, even though the Cullens along with Tori had mysteriously vanished.

Charlie didn't know what to think. Everyone else who needed to be accounted for had been. Luckily all the teens had escaped. He knew that was down to Jacob and his friends efforts. Over and over the panicked kids had told his deputies that without them they would never have managed to get out. Charlie was proud of him, but angry too. He didn't understand why Jacob had forced him out of the house in the first place when Tori had gone to the bathroom. Charlie had known then she was going to confront the Cullens, he had intended to follow her. If Jacob and his friends hadn't stopped him he may have caught up with her and prevented all this destruction.

When he got inside he went straight to the fridge and pulled out a beer. His head was swimming with questions. The main one being, where was Tori? He was convinced now that she had escaped somehow. The car she had driven to the party was missing from the drive. Somehow in all the chaos they had missed each other. Most probably when Jacob interfered again and took it upon himself to wrestle him to the ground to stop him running back into the burning building.

"Why Tori? Why?" Charlie was full of regret. Why couldn't she have trusted him enough to help her? Why did she have to take the law into her own hands? What the hell had the Cullen family done to make her take such drastic action. He didn't understand it and now he had no idea where she was and couldn't get any answers. Even if they did cross paths again what was he supposed to do. He should turn her in for causing reckless endangerment, that is if she had been the one to start the fire. Unless it was the Cullens themselves as they tried to cover up vital evidence about their role in her former lover's death. Charlie held onto the latter, the knowledge easing his heart. He only saw the good in Tori, she was damaged but not beyond redemption.

The kitchen light snapped on, startling him out of his morbid thoughts. Charlie blinked as he tried to adjust his eyes to the sudden brightness. "What the hell, Billy?" He snapped, scowling at his friend.

"I needed to see you were okay." Billy rolled his wheelchair further into the room.

"I'm fine." Charlie growled. "I'm just beat that's all."

"Is everyone okay?" Billy pressed anxiously. "Is the fire out?"

"Yes and yes." Charlie raised his beer to his lips and drank it. "You didn't need to wait up for me."

"Of course I did." Billy refuted as he reached into the fridge and pulled out a beer for himself. "You're my best friend. Sit down before you fall down." He had noticed that Charlie was holding onto the counter for support.

"Fine." Charlie muttered through gritted teeth. He eased his tired body into one of the vacant chairs. "But if you're here to try and get me to unload my feelings don't bother. I'm not in the mood to share."

"And I'm not a therapist." Billy retorted easily as he rolled his chair next to the table.

Both men sat in silence for a while. It wasn't the first time they had sat together in the early hours of the morning like this, drinking beer. Neither of them said out loud that it was always during an emotional crisis that they resorted to this. First it had been when Renee had upped and left Charlie without warning, taking Bella with her, the second when Sarah had died in the horrific car accident. Back then Harry would have been with them.

"To Harry." Billy toasted suddenly, voicing aloud what they were both thinking.

"To Harry." Charlie echoed him as they knocked their bottles together and took a long drink.

Billy fiddled with his beer as he watched Charlie covertly. His friend looked troubled. Charlie was frowning and staring into space. He reminded him so much of Bella just then that Billy's blood ran cold. "You should sleep." He suggested.

"Are you my mother now?" Charlie asked sarcastically.

"No, just a good friend." Billy winced at the words _good_ and _friend_. He felt like the world's biggest hypocrite. "You know I've always got your back, chief. We go back a long way. I've always tried to protect you. Always. Even if it doesn't seem like it at the time."

Charlie looked at Billy warily. "Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked suspiciously. "Because that sounds like you're trying to convince yourself."

"I'm not one of your suspects, chief." Billy said irritably, his skin burning with a mixture of indignation and shame.

"Then don't act like one." Charlie leaned forward, studying Billy's facial expression for any sign of guilt. "What have you done?"

"Nothing." Billy snapped. "I'm going to bed. You should too."

As soon as Billy tried to guide his chair out of the kitchen, Charlie jumped out of his seat and got in his way. He hovered over Billy, placing one hand on each of the armrests of the wheelchair, effectively anchoring him in place. "You are hiding something. We've been friends nearly our whole lives. I know when you're being cagey. Tell me what's going on."

Billy gulped, his evasive body language giving him away. He moistened his dry lips nervously. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." He admitted.

"Try me." Charlie responded coolly.

The beers had gone to Billy's head. He felt lightheaded and nauseous. "It's Tori." He breathed.

"What about Tori?" Charlie stared into Billy's stricken eyes, his own darkening.

"I'm your best friend. I was just thinking of you."

"Just. Tell. Me." Charlie enunciated each word. He was barely holding it together.

Billy closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears. "She's a vampire, chief." He stated recklessly. "She's a god damn blood drinking vampire."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	47. Chapter 47

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Seven**

It took a moment for Charlie to register Billy's words. He shook his head as if trying to clear it, before looking down at his friend again, expecting to see Billy smiling or trying to hide his laughter. But it was neither of those. His expression was deadly serious. "Are you drunk? Is that it?" Charlie said accusingly. "Because that's the only explanation for the bullshit that's just come out of your mouth."

"I'm not drunk. I'm not." Billy protested. He licked his dry lips to moisten them. Charlie was looking at him in disgust. "You have to believe me, chief. I'm not playing about here. What I said is true. Tori isn't who you think she is..."

"You're sick." Charlie backed away from him. His brown eyes were blazing with anger. He couldn't understand why Billy was saying all this crap. It had to be the drink. Perhaps the alcohol was interfering with his medication. "Don't say anymore, Billy. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth until you've slept off the drink."

Billy's throat tightened. He'd screwed up big time. He hadn't meant to blurt it out like that. But his confrontation with Jacob kept playing on his mind and the alcohol had also played a part in it. "Just give me a chance to explain, chief. I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"You just called Tori a vampire. You've never even met her. You know nothing about her. She is not some lady of the night ready to suck me dry. She never asked me for money. Not once. I can't believe you think she's some kind of gold digger."

"I didn't mean that type of vampire." Billy put a hand to his aching head. "Please just sit down so I can explain."

"No." Charlie growled. He stormed out of the kitchen and grabbed his jacket before storming back in and grabbing another couple of beers from the fridge. "I'm going back to the station. The next time I come home I expect you to have slept off the drink and be ready with an apology."

"Charlie, come back here." Billy hollered. His only response was the slamming of the front door as the other man left in a temper. He put his head in his hands as moisture welled in his eyes. It had gone even worse than he expected. He should never have let his guilt over Jacob override his good sense. He knew what Charlie was like. He knew that his friend only saw the world in black and white. He was so focused on what was right in front of his eyes he couldn't see what was underneath. He was a pragmatic man. That's why being a police chief suited him. He didn't believe in the supernatural.

Billy was startled when Jacob and Bella appeared in the doorway. They had been alerted by all the shouting. Jacob hunkered down in front of his dad, anxiously checking him over in case he was experiencing a relapse. While he was doing this, Bella drifted over to the table. She frowned as she noted the empty bottles of beer abandoned on the table. "Jake." She said pointedly, lifting one up to show him.

"You've been drinking." Jacob was incredulous. He spun away from Billy and stood up. "It's five in the morning for god's sake." His fingers sank into his hair as he counted the empty bottles. "Why? Huh? Tell me why? You're not supposed to drink more than one a day. It interferes with your meds. Do you never take responsibility for your health? For anything?"

"It wasn't like that." Billy said defensively. "I was trying to do what you wanted. I was trying to talk to Charlie...to explain."

"And drinking in the early hours is your way of explaining." Jacob retorted bitterly. "Do you never think? Are you that clueless?"

"Jake." Bella interjected sharply. "Calm down. Now is not the time." She wrapped her dressing gown around her and tied up the sash. "Why don't you help Billy to bed. I'll clear up this mess."

"Yeah, along with all his other messes." Jacob ran his fingers through his tousled hair as he tried to stem the tide of his frustration. "What exactly did you say to Charlie."

"I told him...I said...that...that Tori was a vampire." Billy faltered. "I did what you wanted."

"What just like that?" Jacob shook his head in disbelief. "You are drunk, dad. DRUNK!"

"Jake." Bella warned him again. She was as frustrated as Jacob. She couldn't believe that Billy had been so reckless. It was clear that the alcohol had loosened his tongue in the worst possible way. Even a couple of beers made him tipsy as it reacted with his medication. But she could see Jacob was getting really riled up. She didn't even want to imagine what her dad was thinking right now. "Just help him get him settled into bed."

"And what do we do about your dad?" Jacob asked as he grabbed the handles of Billy's wheelchair.

"I guess we're going to have to rip the band aid off." Bella sighed as she gathered the empty bottles in her arms ready for the recycling. She met his gaze steadily. "You need to show him your wolf. It's the only way he's ever gonna give us a chance to explain now."

* * *

Charlie wandered by the side of the road muttering under his breath. He had decided to walk to the station. He couldn't drive as he'd had too much to drink. He was planning to hide in his office for a few hours and catch some shuteye there. He weaved from side to side, brow furrowed and mouth set in a firm line as he thought about his argument with Billy. He couldn't understand what had gotten into his friend. Why play such a horrible joke? It was sick. Charlie was used to Billy playing pranks on him. Harry too when he was alive. It was part of their easy friendship. They shared the highs as well as the lows. They'd always had each other's backs ever since they were kids. That's how they had met. Charlie's parents had been visiting friends on the res. He had been sent to the Ateara's store to get something and come across a gang of older kids. They bullied him, thinking he was easy prey until Billy and Harry had come out of nowhere and kicked their asses. They had been friends ever since.

Dawn was beginning to break. Charlie sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily as he stumbled in the road. His mind drifted to Tori again. He wished he had a way to contact her. He needed an explanation. If she would just call him he knew he could persuade her to let him help. He was convinced it was the Cullens who had started the fire now as a way to conceal evidence. Tori's unexpected appearance had shaken them up and they had to react quickly because she had shown up at the party with the police chief. It was the only logical explanation. They must have panicked, thinking their dodgy dealing were about to be exposed. Charlie just wished he knew what dodgy dealings they were and how Tori's former lover was involved. Maybe the supposedly good doctor was a secret drug lord. Maybe this James was one of his henchmen and double crossed him somehow and the family had gotten revenge on him. Charlie was so exhausted and lightheaded from drinking too much that he was making up all kinds of improbable scenarios in his head.

He stumbled in the road again and a passing car beeped their horn at him in warning. Charlie scowled as he picked himself up and continued on his way. Idiot drivers. If he wasn't so tired he would have taken the guys registration number and then prosecuted him for speeding. He was so lost in his own head he didn't notice the shadowy figure pacing him on the other side of the trees. It was young Seth Clearwater in his wolf form. He had been sent to Forks to guard the Swan house by Sam Uley as an excuse to keep the youngster out of harm's way while the rest of the pack stayed on alert in case Victoria or the Cullens made an impromptu appearance. Sam knew that Jacob was at the Swan's, so if there was any trouble, which was highly unlikely, he'd have Seth's back.

When the youngest Clearwater had seen Charlie leave the house he had made the decision to follow the police chief, especially when he saw him stumbling along by the side of the road. Seth knew that Jacob was inside to protect Bella, so he focused on Charlie instead. He was so keen to prove himself. He was tired of always being kept out of the action. Sam was always on his back about keeping up with his schoolwork and his overprotective big sister was like a mama bear. She made sure that he was more at home than on patrol. He was chaffing at the bit to show them what he was really capable of and eager to prove that he was as adept as the rest of them. Charlie had stopped again. Seth hovered on the other side of the tree line, hidden by all the thick foliage. Charlie was talking on his cell, leaving some weird drunken rambling message to Billy.

"We've been friends since we were so high." Charlie actually held up his hand a few feet off the ground, forgetting that Billy couldn't see what he was doing. "I can't believe you would say such things about Tori. You don't even know her. I accepted Cora didn't I. I supported you every step of the way. You should be supporting me."

Seth yawned as he listened to Charlie's rant. This was so boring. He was beginning to wish he had stayed at the Swan's and taken a nap. Instead he was being forced to listen as Charlie took a trip down memory lane and waffled on about his youth, reminding Billy of what they had been through together.

"I had your back and you had mine." Charlie continued as he leaned against the bole of a tree for support. His eyes were getting heavy from lack of sleep and too much alcohol. "We were best friends...no...we were brothers."

Seth felt his own eyes drooping. He was fighting to keep them open. He leaned forward on his front paws, stretching his long body before setting down on the ground and resting his head on his forepaws. He could still hear Charlie rambling on. He was talking about some yawn inducing fishing trip that he and Billy had been on. Jeez, if that was the most exciting thing they'd done in their youth no wonder it was sending him to sleep. Soon his eyes closed and he began to doze.

"It was huge. The biggest one we'd ever caught. You struggled to reel it in, remember." Charlie said into his phone. "And who helped you reel it in, huh? It was me that's who." He had wandered off the road and had now gotten lost in the trees. He huffed in annoyance when a branch hit him in the face. "Dammit." He cursed. "Not you. The tree." He said in his message to Billy. "I've always had your back, Billy. Always. That's why I can't understand why you would say such a thing about To...oops."

Charlie stumbled over a tree root and landed on his ass. His cell flew out of his hand. "Damn idiot who put that there." He ranted as he glared at the offending tree. Charlie pulled himself up onto all fours and hunted around for his phone. It was lost in the undergrowth. He muttered under his breath as he dug through the detritus on the ground with his hands. He finally found it and sighed in relief. Thankfully it wasn't broken. He put it back to his ear. "You know what I'm feeling beat." He said to Billy. "I'm gonna sign off now. I expect to see you at home later ready with that apology."

Charlie yawned. He peered around blearily, not quite sure how he had ended up on the other side of the trees. The sun was rising now. The police station was still a good five miles away by foot and he didn't feel like walking any further right now. He could just snatch forty winks right here. It wouldn't be the first time he had slept out in the open. Charlie peered around for somewhere to lay his head. He couldn't see much in the gloom. The light filtering through the trees was hazy and he was struggling to keep his eyes open. All he needed was some mossy ground to rest on and he would be fine. He crawled forward on his hands and knees and broke through another patch of undergrowth. It was darker here. The light didn't penetrate so well. His fingers connected with something soft and warm.

"It's like a feather pillow." Charlie patted it with his hand before turning around and resting his head on the soft furry hummock he had found in the thick foliage. "Perfect." He mumbled as he closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep leaning against Seth Clearwater's left flank.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	48. Chapter 48

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Eight**

The early morning light filtered through the trees, bathing the sleeping wolf and his human companion in hazy sunshine. Insects buzzed around them. Birds roosting in the trees above moved restlessly as the twin snores coming from the sandy wolf and the man nestled against his side disturbed their rest. A light breeze ruffled the wolf's thick fur. A mayfly landed on one of his ears and he flicked it away without even bothering to open his eyes. It hovered over the sleeping man instead and nearly got sucked in when he opened his mouth and yawned in his sleep. They were oblivious to everything going on around them and looked the picture of serenity as they continued to doze peacefully in the fall sunshine

It was Leah's strident voice resounding in his head which shattered Seth's peace and woke him up with a start. "Wake up lazybones." She yelled shrilly through the pack mind link. "Where the hell are you?"

Seth startled, opening his eyes and shaking his head as if trying to fling his annoying sisters loud voice to the four winds. He moved, disturbing Charlie, who fell backward, smacking his head on the mossy ground underneath. The police chief groaned, his eyes opening in slits as he tried to get his bearings. HIs head was aching and his mouth felt dry. He licked his lips, moistening them as he massaged his forehead.

"Where the hell am I?" Charlie mumbled as he forced his eyelids to crack open a bit more. He looked up, expecting to see an umbrella of branches above him. What he didn't expect to see was an enormous sandy wolf grinning down at him, exposing all its pearly white teeth. "AHHHHHHHH!"

A pained howl escaped Seth's jaws as he leapt ten foot in the air in fright. He phased in mid air, returning to his human form and landing right on top of Charlie, squashing him flat.

* * *

Jacob made a beeline for Seth and met the shaken youngster as he raced toward Forks carrying a comatose Charlie in his arms. The whole pack had seen what had happened before Seth had unexpectedly cut off their view when he had phased back into his human form. His brothers were rolling around in hysterics, replaying the scenario over and over in their minds, until Leah put a halt to proceedings by getting an irritated Sam to issue an Alpha order for them to stop thinking about it. She had wanted to go to her brother but Sam had told her to just let Jacob deal with it. The she-wolf knew her baby brother was going to be ribbed about this particular episode for eternity.

"What the hell happened, Seth?" Jacob questioned the breathless youngster as he took Charlie's inert body from him and threw him over his shoulder.

"I don't know." Poor Seth lamented. He felt like such an idiot. He had been so eager to prove himself to the others and now he was just a laughing stock. "One minute I was following Chief Swan as he walked along the side of the road..." He paused, lowering his voice and his head so he wouldn't have to look Jacob in the eye. "I might have accidentally dozed off."

"Oh, Seth." Jacob refrained from rolling his eyes. He had been on patrol and witnessed what had happened along with the others. He had assumed that Charlie was at the police station. That's what Charlie had had told Billy before he stormed off in a temper. It was all getting ridiculous. "Do you think he saw you change?" He pressed as he began to walk with Charlie dangling over his shoulder.

"I don't think so." Seth said anxiously. "I hope not. Oh god, I can't believe this is happening. I am so sorry."

"Don't apologise." Jacob tried to reassure the crestfallen youngster. "This one is on me. I should have followed him myself to make sure he was alright. I knew he had been drinking."

"Will he be alright?" Seth studied Charlie worriedly. The police chief was groaning now as he regained consciousness.

"Charlie's got a hard head." Jacob smiled wryly as he punched Seth lightly on the shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. He'll be fine. We're nearly at the Swan's now. You head on home. I'll take it from here."

"Thanks, Jake." Seth returned his smile gratefully before turning around and heading back to La Push.

* * *

"What happened?" Bella asked in alarm when Jacob strode into the house with Charlie draped over his shoulder. She hurriedly pulled out a chair in the kitchen as Jacob gently deposited the groaning police chief into it. "Dad, can you hear me? Dad?" Bella hunkered down in front of him, examining the older man for any sign of injury.

Charlie's head was spinning. He moved it carefully in order not to set it banging again. He focused on his anxious daughter. Jacob was standing behind her with an exasperated expression on his face. "Bells..." Charlie rasped.

"Dad, I thought you were at the station." Bella took his shaking hands in hers. "What happened to you?"

"I saw...I saw a... wolf, Bells." The image of the huge sandy wolf baring his teeth at him in a wicked grin rose in Charlie's mind. His eyes widened and he gasped, his heart racing at a hundred miles an hour. "It was huge...massive. As big as a horse. Bigger..." He drew in a sharp breath. "It must be the same creature you saw. Do you remember when you told me that you'd seen similar creatures months ago and I thought you had mistaken them for bears." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I should have believed you. I am so sorry."

"Jake?" Bella questioned as she glanced up at him in confusion. The only sandy wolf she knew was young Seth Clearwater. Jacob nodded subtly in confirmation and her eyes widened in shock. They needed to be careful now. Bella didn't have the full story but knowing that Charlie had seen one of the wolves made it more imperative than ever that they tell him the truth, but they had to be careful how they went about introducing the subject. Billy had already tried and it had backfired badly.

Charlie was rubbing his forehead again as he tried to make sense of everything. His memories of how he had encountered the wolf were hazy at best. He remembered making a call to Billy but that was it. He winced at the rancid taste of stale beer on his tongue. "How did you find me?" Charlie asked eventually as he raised his head and looked at Jacob.

"It was Seth who found you by the side of the road. Then he contacted me." Jacob was finding it hard to be sympathetic. Like Billy, Charlie needed to stop turning to alcohol when he was confronted with something he didn't want to deal with. It caused all sorts of problems. He had been persuaded by Bella it was time to tell her dad about the secrets, but now he was swinging the other way. He wasn't sure that Charlie could be trusted with them in his present state of mind. Maybe he should seek Sam and the elder's advice after all just like his dad had originally wanted. "Bells, can I have a quick word."

"Okay." Bella stood up and joined him. "I won't be long, dad. You should have a drink." She reluctantly let go of Charlie's hands and followed Jacob out of the kitchen.

* * *

"We need to hold off telling him." Jacob whispered to Bella as they huddled in the hallway so that Charlie couldn't overhear their conversation.

"Why?" Bella demanded in a low voice. "He saw Seth's wolf for goodness sake."

"Yeah, but he didn't see Seth transform by the sounds of it. Right now he thinks he's seen an abnormally big wolf." Jacob put his hands on her shoulders and ducked his head so he could peer into her beautiful eyes, they were sparking with suppressed anger. He sighed as he tried to make his point. "Charlie is all over the place right now. He's been drinking. He's obsessed with Tori. After the reckless way he's been behaving I don't feel comfortable telling him anything."

"He needs to know." Bella insisted. "Look how much trouble has been caused by him being kept in the dark. I'm telling him, Jacob."

"You can't." Jacob gently put a finger over her lips to quieten Bella as she continued to protest. "Just think about it rationally for a moment. What if we tell him, he kicks off and gets drunk again. That could cause all kinds of trouble. He can't even remember how he crossed paths with Seth today. And what if Seth hadn't been following him last night. Anything could have happened to him. He's not himself, honey. You know he's not. This thing with Tori has messed with his head..."

"Just like it did me." Bella said brokenly. She sagged against him, eyes closing as painful memories of her infatuation with Edward came back to haunt her. "Looking at my dad is like looking in a mirror of how I used to be. When Edward and I were together I acted no better than my dad is doing now. I no longer had a life because Edward became my life. He was everywhere. In my room at night. In school during the day. He consumed me. Now Tori has done the same to my dad, and I don't know how to help him. I thought telling him might help him fight his infatuation with her..."

"You knew about Edward and that knowledge didn't help you." Jacob finished for her. He wrapped his arms around Bella and she moulded herself to him, seeking reassurance and comfort.

"How do we help him?" She begged.

"I think only time will do that." Jacob kissed the top of her silky hair. "It worked for you. It took a while but you did recover and come out the other side, honey."

"Because I had you." Bella pressed her cheek against his muscular chest. She could hear his heart beating strongly underneath.

"And he has us." Jacob kissed the top of her head again. "Let me consult with the elders, Bells. We've been stubbornly trying to handle this ourselves, thinking that we knew better than they did. But we've been wrong about so many things lately."

Bella knew he was right. They were running out of options. "Okay." She agreed. "We'll do it your way."

* * *

Jacob and Bella walked into the kitchen hand in hand. Charlie was standing at the sink greedily gulping down a glass of water. "I feel like death." He said thickly.

"You should go and lie down." Bella advised him. She picked up his jacket which was hanging on the back of the chair. As she did so something slipped out of one of the pockets. "What's this?" Bella ducked down and retrieved it. She recognised what it was immediately. "This is the cheque I wrote for mom. Have you had this the whole time?" She asked Charlie in confusion.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	49. Chapter 49

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Forty Nine**

Charlie took the check from his daughter's trembling fingers and winced as if it burned him. This is what Tori had given to him right before everything had gone to hell at the Cullens graduation party. With everything that had gone down afterwards he had literally forgotten all about it. "I don't understand." He mumbled.

"Dad, where did you get that?" There was an edge of desperation to Bella's voice now. "When did you see mom?"

"I haven't seen Renee." Charlie rubbed a hand over his face as he tried to sort through his whirling thoughts.

"Did Renee post it to you then?" Jacob asked after gently squeezing Bella's hand comfortingly.

"No." Charlie felt a cold dread building in his stomach. "Tori gave it to me. She told me she wanted to return something that was taken from you." His tortured gaze met Bella's. "I didn't know she meant this."

"NOOOO!" Bella collapsed in Jacob's arms. This couldn't be happening. In her mind the fact that Victoria had gotten hold of that check meant that something bad had happened to her mom. She gasped as her chest tightened with fear. She could barely breathe and it was only Jacob's solid presence that was holding her together.

Jacob was just as shocked as Bella. This was insane. He tried to focus and not fall into the hysteria that was plaguing the girl he loved right now. Charlie seemed disorientated and confused at Bella's reaction. He was shaking his head in disbelief. "How did Tori know about the check, Charlie?" Jacob asked, trying to keep his tone as even as possible. It was hard with Bella falling apart right in front of him.

"Umm..." Charlie gulped, rubbing his aching forehead as he tried to concentrate. "I think I mentioned something about it the first time I met her. We were comparing our past relationships and it just slipped out. Her last boyfriend was a brute."

"She told you that?" Jacob questioned incredulously.

"Well she didn't call him a brute. I did. I pointed out that he sounded like a selfish SOB and that she deserved better." Charlie tried to recall their exact conversation. "I never told her where Renee was because I don't know. I never even mentioned her last name. I don't understand how she could have gotten hold of this."

"You have no idea of what you've done, do you?" Bella accused as she recovered her voice.

"Bells, I swear I haven't done anything. Somehow my conversation with Tori touched her in some way and maybe in some bizarre way she wanted to help us. To help you. I told her how proud I was of you and how hard it hit you when your mom took your college money. Deep down Tori is a good person, she was trying to do a good thing. I'm sure Ren's fine. She always was a survivor."

Charlie's attempts to reassure Bella were only making things worse. She was shaking again, but this time with anger. Jacob knew he had to remove Bella from the situation before she did or said something she would regret. "You should lie down, Charlie." He said quickly. "Bells and I are going for a drive."

"What now?"

"Yes, now." Jacob grabbed Bella's hand and literally dragged her out of the house. She was swaying from grief to despair and it would only take another wrong word from Charlie to make her explode. She was an emotional ticking time bomb right now and he needed to get her away before she revealed something she shouldn't.

* * *

"She's killed her, Jake. She's killed my mom." Bella cried as she batted her balled fists at his chest. On the drive to La Push she had worked herself up into a hysterical state again. Jacob had tried to talk her down but she was stubbornly refusing to listen.

"You don't know that." Jacob grabbed her arms to steady her. "You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down." Bella sobbed as fresh tears welled in her eyes. "Victoria has done what James threatened to do. She's killed my mom. That's why she hasn't been in contact this whole time. I just thought it was guilt about taking the money that made her ignore my calls..."

"You've been trying to call her?" That was news to Jacob. "Why didn't you tell me that before? I assumed you wanted some distance from your mom."

"I did...but...I don't know. Despite how selfish she can be she's still my mother. I missed her. I just wanted to know she was settled somewhere and was alright." Bella broke apart from him and retreated to the shabby old couch. The Black's house was stuffy despite Jacob opening all the windows to let air into the place. None of them had visited the house in weeks. It had an unlived in quality about it. Which was just adding to her sadness and despair.

The cushions dipped as Jacob sat down beside her. He put an arm around her cautiously, worried that she would push him away. But she didn't this time. She was beginning to calm down again and accepted his offer of comfort. "I'm sorry." She wept. "I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm just so scared."

"I know, honey." Jacob cuddled her and rested his chin on top of her head. He didn't know what to think. The signs didn't look good. Victoria was an unpredictable vampire. He had never come across a cold one like her before. She had shown an act of mercy by factoring Bella out of her twisted desire for revenge, in an odd way it seemed that Charlie had some sway over the red head's moods. It was mind blowing but could also mean that she had seen Renee as the enemy instead, and had taken her out in her desire to please Charlie, thinking she was doing him a good deed. Jacob desperately hoped he was wrong.

"I need to try and call her again." Bella took a deep breath and reluctantly pulled away from Jacob. He kept one arm around her as she used her cell to dial Renee's number.

 _"This is Ren. I'm not here, obviously. You know what to do."_

Hearing Renee's voice on her voicemail broke Bella again. Nausea welled in her throat as she rested her head against Jacob's chest and sobbed as if her heart would break.

* * *

Charlie woke from a troubled dream. He sat up abruptly in his bed, staring around blearily. The red numbers on his clock radio showed him that it was gone eight in the evening. He had been asleep for hours. He climbed off his bed and rubbed his eyes. He walked out of his room, his bare feet padding on the wooden flooring. Charlie frowned. The house was eerily quiet. The door to Bella's room was ajar, he peered inside. It was empty. Perhaps she was downstairs with Billy and Jacob, but if she was they were all being awfully quiet. He couldn't hear the television or anything. Charlie went to the bathroom sink and splashed some cold water on his face to freshen up. As he raised his head he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror above the sink. He looked awful. His eyes were red and bloodshot. His short brown hair was sticking up in all directions. He turned away in disgust and reached for his toothbrush so he could clean his teeth and brush away the last remnants of the stale beer out of his mouth.

After a quick change of clothes Charlie headed down the stairs. "Bella, Jacob...Billy." He called out. "I'm awake."

There was no response. Puzzled, Charlie glanced in the lounge as he passed. The lights were off and the camping beds had been cleared away. He scratched the back of his head as he headed to the kitchen instead. The lights were off in there too. He found the switch and the room was suddenly flooded with light. Charlie squinted as he tried to adjust his eyes to the brightness. On the table he could see the check Bella had given to her mother. His brow furrowed again as he picked it up and studied it thoughtfully. Beside it was a note from Billy.

 _"I didn't want to wake you, chief. Jacob called, he and Bella are spending the night at the Clearwater's. I'll be at Cora's tonight as I thought you might appreciate some space. Call me there if you need anything._

 _Billy."_

The check crumpled in Charlie's fist as he glared at Billy's note. That was typical. He had been prepared to talk out their issues and instead Billy had hightailed it off to Cora's to hide. And even his own daughter didn't want to be around him right now. Charlie scowled as he tucked the check in the back pocket of his jeans and went to grab his jacket. Well he wasn't going to stay in the house and feel sorry for himself. He was going for a drive. Charlie snatched his keys and headed outside to the cruiser.

* * *

Charlie didn't intend to head for the small marina in Port Angeles where he had first gone with Tori. The check was burning a hole in his pocket and it was like something drew him there like a moth to a flame. He didn't expect to find her but hoped the fresh air and familiar territory might clear his head enough so that he could think. Charlie sat down in the same spot as before and pulled off his shoes and socks, letting his bare feet dangle in the cold water. He sighed, tipping his head back to gaze at the heavens, hoping for some fresh insight or for some incredible revelation to give him the answers he was so desperately seeking. But the gloomy clouds covering the night sky just reflected his mood back at him. There were no answers, nothing. He didn't understand anything. Nothing in his life made sense anymore. His longing for the beautiful red head who had shown a brief interest in him was ludicrous. He was ludicrous. He hadn't been able to keep hold of his wife, why would Tori be any different. It's why he had avoided getting involved with another woman again. Instead he had let work become his wife, to the detriment not only of his beloved daughter but himself as well.

"You are a selfish, stupid fool, Charlie Swan." He called out in frustration to the night sky.

"You are none of those things." Charlie hadn't been expecting an answer, least of all from Tori. So when she appeared out of the darkness and settled down gracefully beside him, he nearly fell off the edge of the marina. "Steady." Tori put a cold hand on his shoulder to stop him falling into the water.

Charlie was beyond words. He stared and stared at her, drinking her in like a man thirsting for water. Tori's vibrant red hair was wet as if she had been swimming. It hung around her attractive porcelain face like the snakes of medusa. The ends were beginning to curl. Her red lips were parted in an amused smile. Indeed even her clothes were wet, enhancing her curvy figure. She was still wearing her ridiculously large ray bans. Charlie had an urge to snatch them off her face so he could finally see her eyes. He didn't even realise he had raised his hand until he saw Tori jerk back from him.

"I'm sorry." Charlie mumbled as he looked at his hand as if it had betrayed him. "I don't know what I'm doing." He shook his head to try and clear it. Like always Tori's closeness was messing with his senses and clouding his thoughts. As he moved he heard the check crinkle in his pocket. He raised his head sharply as the fog in his head lifted for a few seconds. "The check you gave me. Where did you get it? How did you get it?"

"Forever the police chief." Tori's expression turned calculating.

"Where have you been, Tori? What happened to you?" Charlie demanded.

"So many questions." Tori tapped her forefinger over her perfect lips.

"And no answers." Charlie scowled as he pulled his feet out of the water. "I am done playing your games."

His reaction seemed to perturb Tori, as if not expecting him to dismiss her so easily. "You want answers."

"Yes." Charlie growled. God, she was so intoxicating. He closed his eyes briefly to try and keep a rein in his desire. He had never felt so out of control around a woman before. How did she continue to have this affect on him?

"I can give you one." Tori was all seriousness now. "You want to know where your ex is."

"Where?" Charlie put his hands on his hips and glared at her, battling to try and maintain his cool.

"I'll take you to her. But you should be careful what you wish for. You might not like what you see." Tori warned him before she strode off into the darkness, not even waiting for him to follow.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	50. Chapter 50

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for all the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty**

Jacob and Bella had lied when they told Billy they were staying at the Clearwater's. In fact they had never left the small redwood house that Jacob had grown up in. They both craved some peace and time out from all the drama. Night had drawn in. Jacob had lit a fire in the hearth for warmth and also to provide some light. Jacob sat in front of the fireplace with his strong arms wrapped around Bella. She curled up securely in his embrace, feeling cosy, the tension leaving her body as she allowed herself to relax. She watched the flames curl and sway, flickering sublimely, crackling as they licked at the dry wood. She turned her head to look up at Jacob's handsome face, his features illuminated by the flickering light. A swell of love for him threatened to make her heart burst out of her chest.

"I don't know what I would have done without you today." She said softly. "I know I can drive you crazy sometimes..."

"In a good way." Jacob teased, interrupting her before she could say anything more detrimental about herself. He knew Bella well. If she continued on this path she would start blaming herself for everything. She wasn't responsible for the decisions her parents made.

Bella smiled wryly, well aware of what he was doing. "You're trying to distract me."

"Is it working?" Jacob raised his eyebrows playfully as he waited for her response.

"No." A thoughtful expression made Bella appear suddenly serious. She rose onto her knees, twisting in his embrace so she was facing him. Her small hands settled on his wide shoulders. "You realise this is the first time we've been alone in forever."

"True." Jacob agreed. He sensed the change in mood. Bella was regarding him with liquid brown eyes filled with love and something much deeper. "You know you're my whole world." He admitted. "I love you so much."

"I know you do. And I love you just as much. You've been so patient with me."

"I'd wait forever." Jacob promised. His hands cupped her tiny waist. He swallowed thickly as his emotions suddenly got the better of him. He ducked his head as he tried to regain some sense of composure.

"I think you've waited long enough." Bella's words took him by surprise. Jacob raised his head again, his hopeful eyes meeting hers. Bella smiled at the expectant expression on his face. He was so beautiful, breathtaking even. She reached out, dragging her thumb along his lower lip before her hand dropped down, finding the top button of his shirt and then carefully popping it open.

"Are you sure?" Jacob checked again. He was mesmerised by this bold, assertive Bella. He loved the way she was taking control. He always knew she could.

"Yes." Bella said firmly, smiling sultrily as she continued to unbutton his shirt. She leaned forward and kissed him long and slow, leaving him breathless for more when she pulled away.

Jacob reached out for her, his hands warm against her bare stomach as he raised her tank top slowly, exposing an expanse of her milky skin. He ducked down and kissed her stomach, his lips burning against her skin. Bella gasped at the contact. She closed her eyes, revelling in the heat whenever he touched her, melting everything inside.

* * *

Bella fluttered as light as air, trembling with ecstasy, while it seemed that only Jacob, on top of her , kept her from floating away. Bella threw her head back, a soft moan escaping her parted lips, as she enjoyed Jacob's thorough attentiveness to her every need. He was going slow, building up the sexual intensity, until Bella felt she was going to explode with want. Jacob explored every inch of her, leaving every nerve end tingling. The anticipation kept building. His patient approach was working. She was like liquid molasses in his arms, every cell in her body trembling with need.

When he had worked her up to a fever pitch of excitement he pulled back, taking in her nakedness with a hungry glance. Then slowly he began to kiss her, his tongue like velvet against her breasts. His nimble fingers swept over her abdomen, causing Bella to rise up to meet his hungry mouth as his devoured hers. Bella's fingers sank into his shaggy hair as she returned his kisses eagerly, clinging to him, unable to keep to the slow pace he was setting.

"I want you." She said breathlessly against his lips.

Jacob smiled into the kiss as his hand slid down the side of her body, flowing over her hips to her outer thigh. He hitched her leg over his waist, drawing her closer. Bella gazed into his dark eyes, glowing with a mixture of love and desire for her. She breathed deeply, taking in his scent, the spicy fragrance of pine; the freshness of freshly tilled earth. The muscles along his back rippled under her eager fingertips.

"Make love to me, Jake. I'm ready." Bella said again.

Jacob paused in his movements, his dark eyes seeking reassurance that this is what she really wanted. Bella smiled slowly, tenderly, her expression full of love for him. Jacob relaxed, his mouth seeking hers again as he got ready to make love to the girl he adored for the first time.

* * *

Jacob woke up with a start, unsure of where he was until he realised Bella slept curled up against him. Her head was pillowed on his chest. He smiled and breathed deeply. He wanted to wake up beside her like this every morning. Slowly Bella began to stir as dawn's early light peeked through the partially opened curtains. She murmured his name, her lips moving as they touched his sensitive skin, her soft breath tickling him. She was warm wrapped in his arms, for which he was grateful. The fire had died during the night.

He would never get over how soft and delicate she was. Against him she was so tiny. Her skin, so pale and translucent to his, seemed to glow in the weak morning light. Her long hair fanned out over his torso like a silken cloud. She was so beautiful and she loved him. She wanted him. Jacob had never been so happy in his life. He watched as she stirred beside him. She breathed deeply, looking cute as she rubbed her eyes with balled fists. "You're really here." A smile spread across her pretty face, her voice low. "I thought you were some kind of awesome dream."

"Morning beautiful." Jacob couldn't help laughing. He was bursting with happiness. "You don't know how often I've wondered the same thing. How are you feeling?"

"Wonderful." Bella stretched her arms above her head in one fluid motion. "And you?"

Jacob laughed again, grinning. He leaned down and kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers for a moment. "Better than wonderful." He quipped before he became serious again. "It was your first time, honey. I hope..."

"I'm good." Bella assured him as she rolled onto her stomach. She could see he didn't look entirely convinced. "I am fine, honestly. Maybe a little sore, but that's to be expected. But it was so worth it. And the next time will be even better and the time after that..."

Reassured, Jacob pulled her back into his arms so she ended up draped across his body. "I love you, Bella Swan." He declared fervently.

"I should think so, because I'm totally awesome." Bella joked with a teasing glint in her eyes. She kissed him lazily before pulling away reluctantly. Already she could feel time slipping away from them. She could feel the old tensions creeping back already every moment that the sun rose higher in the sky. Soon they would have to leave their temporary sanctuary and go back to real life. Dread settled in her stomach. She could see the same feelings reflected on Jacob's face. "We can grab some breakfast on the way home." She suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." Jacob agreed reluctantly as Bella climbed off him and rose to her feet. He followed suit, catching her hand in his as they stood facing each other. "Everything will be alright, Bells." He promised.

"I know." Bella smiled at him faintly, loving him for trying to make her feel better, but saddened because she knew his promise was already broken.

* * *

Jacob parked the VW Rabbit behind Bella's old Chevy on the Swan's driveway. Charlie's cruiser was missing so he assumed the police chief had already left for work. He switched off the engine and turned to face Bella. She was sitting in her seat, staring rigidly at the house. "You don't need to worry, Bells. My dad was with Charlie last night. He wasn't alone."

"I know." Bella smiled but it was strained. "I was hoping to talk to him about mom again. I didn't think he would have gone to work so early." Disappointment tasted bitter on her tongue. She had a feeling her father was trying to avoid her. "I'll call him. Maybe we could swing by the station and bring him some lunch or something. That way he'll have to stay and talk to me."

"Hey." Jacob cradled the back of her head. "I doubt he's avoiding you. He's probably inundated with work now the investigation into the fire at the Cullens mansion is underway."

"I guess so." Bella relaxed again under Jacob's tender ministrations as she pulled out her cell and dialled Charlie's number. It went straight to voice mail. Frustrated she called the station's main line instead. "Hey, can I speak to my dad." She said when one of the deputies answered. "It's Bella."

"Oh, hi, Bella. This is Mac. I'm so glad you've called. I've been trying to get hold of your dad since last night but he's not answering his cell." The deputy replied in a relieved tone. "It's important that he's here right now."

Bella's blood ran cold. Her eyes met Jacob's troubled ones. He had heard everything. "You mean he hasn't been in touch." She said to Mac.

"Nope. As soon as you get hold of him can you get him to call me." Mac asked urgently.

"Okay, bye." Bella dropped her cell into her lap when the call ended.

"Don't panic, Bells. He's probably with my dad." Jacob assured her.

But that presumption was immediately dashed as Cora's car swept up the road. She parked outside the house and waved cheerily as she spotted Jacob and Bella in the VW Rabbit. Billy was sitting in the passenger seat. He looked toward his son, the smile slipping from his face when he saw Jacob glaring at him. Cora paused, looking at Billy in confusion as she picked up on the strange tension. "Is he okay?" She whispered to Billy.

Billy didn't respond. Jacob was out of his car and striding toward him. Bella was running behind him, clearly trying to calm Jacob down. Before he had a chance to do anything, Jacob had reached Cora's car. He dragged Billy's wheelchair out from the back of the car, then none too gently opened the passenger door and deposited his father in it.

"Billy?" Cora questioned anxiously.

"I'm alright, Cora. I'll call you later." Billy said hurriedly as Jacob pushed his chair roughly up the ramp.

Bella met Cora's frightened eyes. "You should go." She said softly, before vanishing into the house after Jacob and Billy.

* * *

"I asked you to do one thing. ONE DAMN THING." Jacob yelled at his father. HIs hand slammed down on the kitchen table in frustration. "You were supposed to stay in with Charlie."

"I thought I would give him some space." Billy faltered. He didn't understand why his son was so angry. "Cora asked me to stay the night and I accepted. I left the chief a note..."

"Dad's missing." Bella interjected curtly. "He's not at the station and the cruiser isn't here. I've tried calling him several times but he's not picking up."

"What?" Billy's face drained of colour. "He's probably out on a call."

"Didn't you hear Bella?" Jacob snapped. "Charlie never made it to work. They're looking for him, too."

"But he must be alright. He has to be." Billy pleaded as he looked between them.

"You better hope so." Jacob stood up and looked at his father in bitter disappointment before capturing Bella's hand and leading her out of the kitchen, leaving Billy to suffer the consequences of his actions alone.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! More to come...**_


	51. Chapter 51

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty One**

Charlie insisted on driving. Tori capitulated only when he promised that he wouldn't interrogate her about Renee on the way. "Just keep the questions to a minimum and we won't have a problem." She warned him.

"Right." Charlie drawled sarcastically as he opened the passenger door of the cruiser for her. Tori slid gracefully into her seat. "Where exactly are we heading for?"

"Seattle." Tori replied cryptically as she made herself comfortable. She refused to wear a seatbelt.

"Ren is in Seattle?" Charlie said incredulously. "How the hell did you track her to Seattle?"

Tori gave him a dark look. "That's three questions already. Anymore and I'll climb out of this car and walk away."

Charlie's jaw flexed as he shut her door none too gently and walked around to the other side of the cruiser. When he climbed in, much less gracefully than she did, he saw a glimmer of a smile cross her lips. "I'm glad you find this whole thing so amusing." He huffed.

"You are angry with me." Tori was definitely amused now.

"I'm not angry I'm frustrated. There is a difference." Charlie scowled as he switched on the engine.

"Clearly." Tori teased lightly. She looked him up and down lasciviously. "In more ways than one I imagine."

Charlie frowned, feeling like a fool again. Her ambiguous meaning was clear. He gripped the steering wheel tightly as he pulled onto the road. He was finding it hard to concentrate with her being so close to him in a confined space. Her presence was intoxicating. Her sweet scent was filling up the cab and sent his pulse racing. He couldn't understand why she had such an effect on him. He was being ludicrous. After a moment of tortuous silence where he struggled to keep his composure, Tori broke the spell by turning on the radio. The sudden noise startled him and he swerved slightly. He glanced at Tori's profile. She was wearing that same half smile again, looking amused, as if fully aware of what she was doing to him. Eventually after flicking through several stations she settled on one playing soft rock.

"This is what you like?" Charlie asked for something to say.

"Another question." Tori smiled enigmatically. "Right now this is what I like. But it could change tomorrow."

"Do you ever give a straight answer?" Charlie muttered.

"Do you ever stop playing the cop and interrogating people?" Tori threw back at him.

"Now you're the one asking questions." Charlie said pointedly.

"Touché." Tori laughed at his ticked off expression. "I'm a live by the seat of my pants kind of gal." She faked a southern accent and ramped up the music in the car.

"You're definitely something." Charlie had to yell to make himself heard above the twanging guitars.

"And so are you." Tori's amusement faded and she now appeared perplexed. "I don't know what it is about you." She switched off the music, suddenly seeming annoyed with herself. "No more talking. Just drive."

The abrupt change in mood sent Charlie's head spinning. He glanced at her often as he drove but she refused to engage with him again.

* * *

The light was dawning when they finally reached the outskirts of Seattle. Charlie had made one stop for gas, then continued on. He had offered to buy Tori something to eat or drink but she had refused both. He bought himself some snacks, wondering how she could go so long without even drinking water, but when he asked she insisted she was fine. As the journey progressed she had retreated into herself. Charlie couldn't get her to open up to him at all and this just increased his frustration with the whole situation. It seemed her unintentional slip up that she found him interesting had unnerved her.

"I don't know where to go from here. I'm gonna need some directions." He said eventually as he slowed down almost to a stop.

"My turn to drive." Tori said coolly as she avoided looking at him directly.

"You are not driving the cruiser." Charlie's fingers flexed on the steering wheel as he glared at her.

"I drive from here. This is non-negotiable." Tori insisted curtly.

"No."

"Then I leave right now." Tori said calmly as she opened her door while the car was still moving.

"For fucks sake, woman." Charlie snapped as he desperately reached across her and slammed the door shut before she fell onto the tarmac. "What is it with you?"

A faint hiss, almost like a snake, escaped Tori's perfect mouth as she stiffened, clearly incensed by the way he had spoken to her. "My patience is wearing thin." She spat.

Charlie pulled over and confronted her. He opened his window, letting the fresh air pool into the car. It cleared his head for a moment. "So is mine, Tori. Get out of the damn car if that's what you want. I don't care. I'll track Ren down myself without your help."

A shaft of sunlight broke through the cloud cover just then, setting Tori's vibrant red hair on fire. Her porcelain skin began to glow. Charlie stared as an odd shimmer began to ripple across her exposed arms and face. Tori immediately sank lower in her seat, turning her face away from him. "Just drive straight, then take a left." She said in a low voice. "We need to hide out for the day. We can't approach them until nightfall or we'll be exposed."

"Exposed to what." Charlie said in exasperation. "No more games, Tori. Where is Renee?"

"I said no questions." Tori was in control now that the sun was once again hidden behind the clouds. "Just drive." She ordered.

Charlie scowled, giving in, while at the same time wishing he could just walk away from this damaged woman. But he couldn't. He felt so drawn to her and didn't understand why. There was a powerful attraction there, almost a compulsive need to be close to her constantly. "One more day, Tori." He muttered. "If you don't take me to Renee tonight. We are done."

"I will take you to her tonight. You must trust me." He was astonished when Tori reached out and covered his hand with hers. Her fingers were icy as they slid fluidly between his. He swallowed thickly as he raised his eyes to her lovely face. He longed to snatch her sunglasses away so he could see her eyes. "Do you trust me?" Her cadence was soft, gentle. It was a tone he hadn't heard from her thus far.

"I guess I have no choice." Charlie said gruffly. He tried to hold her hand but Tori abruptly snatched her hand back and laid it in her lap. He sighed heavily, feeling vexed again. "I need to call my daughter and let her know what's going on." He reached in the glove box for his cell. When he pulled it out he realised the battery was dead. "Dammit, can I borrow yours?" He asked Tori.

"I don't have one. They're like a ball and chain. I prefer to be free." She smiled enigmatically again, drawing him back into her web. "Relax, your daughter will know everything all in good time. Now, we need to find somewhere to stay until nightfall." She reminded him.

* * *

They hung out in different bars and restaurants throughout the daylight hours. Tori seemed to have an aversion to going out into the sun. She was fine when the clouds covered the bright sky, but when the sun reared its head she would duck for cover, pulling him with her into a shadowy nook as if the sunlight would burn her smooth skin with one touch. Charlie bought her drinks, but she refused to eat anything. He wasn't even sure she drank much, not in front of him. He would visit the men's room and when he came back her glass would be empty.

They talked about lots of things and nothing. Tori seemed to hang on to his every word. Somehow she managed to extract a lot of information out of him without giving anything in return. He had already told her about his older strict parents and his rigid upbringing, then his feelings of being trapped when they both fell ill at the same time and he was forced to drop all his plans of going to college and get a steady job with a regular income so he could support them.

"I wondered what drew you to your ex. Now I see." Tori revealed as the afternoon drew to a close. They were sitting outside a little coffee shop, drinking latte's, at least Charlie was, Tori's was going cold in front of her. A light rain was falling. She seemed happier to be outside now that there was no fear that the sun would break through the clouds at any unexpected moment.

"What do you mean by that?" Charlie didn't hide his annoyance.

Tori smiled in amusement. "You are angry with me again."

"I'm frustrated. I told you there's a difference. Now answer the question. What did you mean?"

"I mean that she must have seemed like a breath of fresh air to you after leading such a stifling existence." Tori finally responded.

This revelation surprised Charlie. He had never thought of it like that before. His romantic choices had been limited in Forks. All the girls he had grown up with had either married or moved away. His life had consisted of work and looking after his parents. The only bright spots were the times he spent with his best friends, but then they got caught up in their own relationships and his life became more mundane than ever. Then Renee had breezed into town with her friends. Her hippy spirit had called out to him. She had asked him to join her on her grand adventure, but instead he had trapped her in the same way his parents had trapped him when she fell unexpectedly pregnant with Bella.

"You never loved her." Tori pressed as she watched the rapid change of emotions cross his expressive face.

"She's the mother of my child." Charlie rubbed a hand over his face. This trip down memory lane was making him uncomfortable.

"But that doesn't make you responsible for her mistakes." Tori's expression turned thoughtful. "You can still walk away. You can climb back into your car right now and go home to your daughter."

"What about you, Tori? Will you walk away?" Charlie said pointedly. His expression turned pleading. "You could have died in that fire. You were lucky to escape. I can't believe the Cullens set their own house alight. They must have been desperate to destroy evidence to go to those lengths. They haven't been seen since, but we found no casualties so they must have escaped." He tried to reach for her hand but Tori withdrew from him. "You can't put yourself in danger like that again. You asked me to trust you. Why can't you trust me? When we've dealt with Renee come to the station with me and make an official report about what that family have done to you."

"We live in two different worlds." The sun was beginning to set. The sky blazed red just like Tori's hair. "It's time to go. And this time I drive." She said quietly as she rose elegantly to her feet and walked away without waiting for his response.

* * *

They were in downtown Seattle. Charlie peered through the windscreen. The night air felt thick, dense. It was gone midnight. Tori had barely spoken since their last conversation other than to tell him to quit asking questions. The further they travelled the more rundown the houses began to look. Tori had driven aimlessly for a while, whether to confuse him and make him deliberately lose his sense of direction, Charlie wasn't sure. They were entering the less prosperous neighbourhoods now. Eventually she stopped, parking the cruiser under the cover of some trees, shielding the car from any curious eyes.

"Stay here." Tori warned him. She made as if to get out but Charlie grabbed her hand. It was cold, just like it had been all day. He clung on.

"You can't expect me to stay here while you go off alone. I'm not a fool." He looked at the dilapidated house she had targeted. He had come across places like this before on occasion during his time in the force. "This is a crack house." His heart sank and his throat tightened. "Ren can't be in there. She doesn't use drugs."

Tori eased her hand out of his. Her expression hardened. "I never said she was a user."

Charlie quickly climbed out of the car. "Tell me." He demanded.

"Her new boyfriend runs that place. She helps him out so to speak." Tori said harshly. "She was already up to her neck in it when I for...persuaded her to hand over your daughter's check."

"She's a supplier." Charlie said, sickened. "Fuck."

"I warned you that you might not like what you see." Tori reminded him coldly. "But you insisted. Do you really want to bring this woman back into your daughter's life?"

"I need to look her in the eyes, Tori . I need closure." Charlie felt like he was drowning.

"As you wish."

Tori seemed to vanish into thin air right before his eyes. Charlie whirled around, calling her name, searching. Then suddenly there were loud screams coming from inside the dilapidated building, followed by angry cussing. Out of the darkness Tori reappeared, she strode into the light, dragging someone along behind her by their hair. It took a moment for Charlie to register it was Renee. She was screaming bloody murder. She was so thin. Her face was caked in makeup, the thick mascara was pooling around her hollow eyes, which opened wide when she saw Charlie standing horrified in front of her.

Tori threw her at Charlie's feet like she was yesterday's trash and locked eyes with him. "Here is your closure." She said coolly. "As for me I need to finish what I started."

With that parting comment she vanished back into the darkness.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	52. Chapter 52

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Two**

Bella was left alone with Billy. Jacob had left to rally his pack and update them on the latest situation with Charlie. They were going to mount a search, but with little to go in it was going to be difficult. They couldn't track a car. The Clearwater siblings were left to guard the house while Jacob and the others were occupied.

"I was just trying to give your old man some space, Bella." Billy said for the hundredth time. His guilt was weighing heavily on his mind. He was upset that Jacob was becoming increasingly distant from him. The more he tried the more he kept screwing up. "I'm so sorry. I never expected this to happen."

"Please don't apologise anymore." Bella was getting weary of it. She didn't blame Billy directly, not like Jacob did. Charlie was a grown man and made his own decisions, just like Billy did himself. They weren't children. Although sometimes it felt like she and Jacob were micro managing their time. "Even if you were here you couldn't have stopped him if he wanted to leave."

Billy knew that Bella was trying to make him feel better, especially because of the frosty reception he kept getting from his son about the whole thing. "I don't think I can bear it if anything has happened to him. He's my best friend. I've been so caught up with Cora. She's the first woman I've dated since I lost my Sarah." He sighed heavily and looked down at his useless legs. "Not that I'm such a great catch. I don't know why Cora is even giving me the time of day."

Bella didn't have the energy to shore up Billy's fragile ego. Not when she was so worried about her dad. She tried to keep a semblance of calm for his sake, but she was desperate for a distraction. "I think I'll make something to eat."

"I'm not really hungry, Bella." Billy replied, thinking it was for him.

"No, I'm talking about for Leah and Seth." Bella was irritated that he thought it was all about him again.

"Oh, I see." Billy apologised, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Yes, that's very kind of you."

"I'll get started now." Bella walked away and left Billy alone to wallow in his guilt. She had enough trouble dealing with her own.

* * *

Bella watched in silent fascination as Leah and Seth gobbled down the vegetable lasagne she had made as if it was going to be their last meal on earth. Seth, especially, was shoving in huge portions, barely bothering to swallow before shoving the next lot in his eager mouth. Leah was slightly more sedate, but like Seth she was on her third portion.

"This is so awesome." Seth said with his mouth full as he took the time to praise Bella's cooking skills. "This is the best I've ever tasted. Lee's is always so rank."

"Hey." Leah snapped as she cuffed her younger brother around the head.

Seth choked, coughing as he hit his chest. "What did you do that for?" He complained.

"Because you were being rude about my cooking." Leah retorted with a wry smile. She was only teasing.

"I bet your lasagne is just as good as mine." Bella interjected, thinking that Leah was really upset.

"There's no need to butter me up, girlfriend." Leah rolled her eyes. "Seth's right. I can't cook for toffee."

"I could teach you." Bella offered, desperate for something to say. Even after all this time she still felt slightly intimidated by the older girl, though lately they had reached an understanding.

"No thanks." Leah wrinkled her nose in disgust. "It's bad enough that Emily is trying to force me into the kitchen. She's desperate to find some common ground with me again, but standing in front of a stove is my worst nightmare."

"Oh." Bella didn't know what to say to that. She had heard on the grapevine that Emily was trying her hardest to get back the once carefree relationship she'd had with her cousin. But after the whole imprinting issue, Bella thought that Emily was being particularly naive. The she-wolf may have finally decided to move on from her pain at losing Sam, but that didn't mean they would ever be good friends again. "What do you like doing then?" Bella asked eventually as her curiosity won out.

"Not shopping." Leah pretended to shudder in horror. "So don't dare ask me."

"Bella hates shopping." Seth stopped gobbling his food for a nanosecond to join in the conversation.

"That's right. I do." Bella laughed. She ruffled the youngsters hair playfully as he resumed eating.

"Well that's one thing we have in common." Leah said in surprise. "I recently joined the women's basketball team."

"Really?" That was news to Bella. She was impressed. Leah had isolated herself from making friends outside of the pack for so long that it was good to see she was making an effort to build a life outside it. "That's good."

"You could come along if you like." Leah offered grudgingly.

"Bella hates sports." Seth interjected again. "And she's way too short."

Leah narrowed her eyes at her little brother while Bella tried to stifle her laughter. "That's right." She agreed, ruffling Seth's hair again. "But only because I suck at all sports."

"Next you'll be offering to give me a makeup tutorial." Leah quipped as she slapped at Seth's hand when he sneakily tried to remove some of her unfinished lasagne from her plate.

"Bella doesn't like wearing makeup." Seth said as he smiled at Bella with his big round puppy dog eyes, clearly begging for more scraps. Bella smiled at him and loaded the last portion of the lasagne onto his empty plate. "Thanks, Bella You are the best." He picked up his fork and began to shovel it in his mouth.

"So, apart from feeding the five thousand and my goofy brother, what do you like doing?" Leah asked.

"She likes reading. And she's working on a novel. She wants to be a published author one day." Seth's voice was muffled as he chewed his food.

"I didn't see your mouth move." Leah drawled sarcastically as she side eyed Seth again. "You seem to know an awful lot about Bella, Sethy."

Seth stopped eating and gulped. His cheeks were flaming red. He knew he had been caught out. His crush on Bella wasn't exactly a secret. He smiled nervously. "Um...I may have...um...um...read Jake's..." He shrugged. "Well he's always thinking about Bella. Always...and..."

Leah snorted with laughter as she cuffed Seth playfully again. "Keep your mouth occupied, bro. It keeps the verbal diarrhoea to a minimum."

Seth blushed vociferously. He was having trouble looking in Bella's direction. "I might go and um...yeah...I'll do that. See ya." He quickly ate the last few mouthfuls of his lasagne and dashed outside, his sister's laughter ringing in his ears.

* * *

The Clearwaters had proved a good distraction, but they were gone now, only to be replaced with Paul and Jared. Bella fed them too, but refrained from making conversation. Lahote wasn't her favourite wolf and Jared was always reserved. They had no news for her. There was still no sign of Charlie. After they had gone back outside to keep watch, Bella sat and watched an old film with Billy. The older man was still racked with guilt. He was desperate for his son to come home so they could hash things out and find some common ground. Time continued to tick slowly by. As each hour passed Bella was getting increasingly despairing. This was the longest that Charlie had ever been out of contact and she was struggling.

"If anything has happened to him..." Billy lamented, echoing her thoughts aloud.

"Please, Billy." Bella couldn't listen anymore. "Excuse me I'm going to try and call him again." She walked out of the room before he could respond. Her nerves were on a knife edge and she didn't think she could control herself any longer. Not knowing what had happened to both her parents was beginning to take its toll. She wished Jacob would come home, but she knew he wouldn't until he had something concrete to tell her. Like before Charlie's cell went straight to voice mail. So did Renee's when she tried. Bella went onto the back porch to get some privacy. She put her head in her hands and wept silently as her emotions became too much to handle.

* * *

Jacob came home around midnight. He was exhausted after having covered huge ground in his efforts to find a clue as to Charlie's whereabouts. He had no good news. There was not a scrap of evidence as to what direction the police chief had gone in. All the evidence pointed toward the fact that Charlie had left willingly and on his own. There was no suggestion that Victoria had been involved. She certainly had left no trace around the house if she had been in the area.

"But that doesn't mean he couldn't have met up with her elsewhere." Billy was close to tears. "This is my fault. You were right to b..."

"You're not helping." Jacob snapped. "Regret is a bitch but it doesn't give us a clue to where Charlie might have gone."

Bella got between them and put a calming hand on Jacob's chest. Tiredness was making them all snappy. "Come and have something to eat, then you need to get some sleep."

Jacob rubbed a hand over his face. "Okay." He mumbled before looking in his dad's direction. "I'm sorry, dad. I shouldn't have shouted."

Billy nodded, too distraught to say anything else. He was sinking into despair. Cora had called, asking to see him, but he had put her off. Even though he enjoyed her company she was proving too much of a distraction. He had taken his eye off the ball and his best friend had suffered for it. If and when they found Charlie he vowed never to neglect his friend or his responsibility to his son again, even if he had to break up with Cora to do it.

* * *

It was gone one in the morning when Bella heard the cruiser pull up outside the house. Jacob was sleeping restlessly beside her. He opened his weary eyes and rolled out of bed so he could look out of the window. He was relieved to see the police chief climbing out of the cruiser, Charlie's face was half in shadow as he walked slowly down the drive. His head was bent with exhaustion.

"It's him, Bells." Jacob smiled in relief as he reached for her hand and helped her to rise.

"Did he...is he...okay?" Bella asked. She had been imagining all sorts of wild scenarios.

"Yes... though he looks done in." Jacob led the way out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Charlie was just unlocking the front door when they reached the bottom.

"Where the hell have you been?" Bella exploded at her father as soon as he shuffled inside. "We've all been worried sick. Work has been calling non-stop. I've been out of my mind wondering where you were. It's bad enough that I don't know what happened to mom, without you..."

"STOP, BELLS!" Charlie yelled at her.

Bella's mouth clamped shut and frustrated tears welled in her eyes. Jacob glared at Charlie, not happy with the way he had spoken to his daughter. But before he could say anything, Billy appeared out of the lounge, alerted by all the noise.

"You're back." He cried in relief.

"I'm back." Charlie said grimly. He looked at the gathered group, his eyes hard. "I need some privacy. I want to speak to Bells alone. So, if you don't mind." He nodded curtly, indicating that he wanted them to leave.

"Bells?" Jacob checked. He wasn't going to go if she wanted him to stay.

"It's fine." Bella assured him with a weak smile.

"Alright. We'll be nearby if you want us." Jacob promised as he took the handles of his dad's wheelchair and pushed him outside into the cool night air.

"That was rude pushing Billy and Jake out like that." Bella remonstrated with her father. "We've all been so worried about you. Why didn't you call?"

Charlie's face was tight with strain. He swallowed thickly. "My cell died." He ran his fingers through his hair and gestured for her to go into the kitchen and sit down. "I've got something to tell you, kiddo."

Bella settled into one of the empty chairs. Charlie had pulled a cold beer out of the fridge and popped the lid off the bottle. He sat down opposite her and looked at her, the white's of his eyes were red, almost like he had been crying. Dark circles underscored his eyes. He obviously hadn't slept since he left the house. A cold dread settled in Bella's stomach. "What is it?" She whispered fearfully.

"It's about your mom." Charlie said with difficulty. He ran his fingers through his hair again, a tic on his jaw pulsing with tension as he battled for control of his emotions.

"You found her." Bella dugs her nails into the palms of her hands as she braced herself for the bad news.

"I did..." Charlie continued gruffly. He blinked rapidly as if fighting off more tears.

"Just tell me." Bella pleaded desperately. "Is she alright? Where is she?"

"She was in Seattle this whole time." Charlie clenched his jaw tight

 _Was_...he had said was. It was past tense. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. She shook her head as if in denial. "Dad, please..."

"I'm sorry, kiddo." Charlie captured her shaking hand and clung on tightly. "I really tried but I couldn't get through to her." He took another swig of his beer to give him some courage. "She was in a bad way. Too thin. She hadn't been looking after herself properly, she had gotten in with a bad crowd..." He paused, biting his lower lip in agony. "We argued. I was just trying to get closure for the both of us. I didn't know how ill she really was..."

"Dad..." Bella couldn't breathe. She knew what was coming.

"She collapsed right there in the street as we argued. I tried to resuscitate her. My cell wasn't working. I screamed for help." His face paled at the memory. "Someone called 911. But by the time the paramedics arrived your mom was already gone. Her heart gave out." He let go of Bella's hand and squashed his fists into his eyes as he cried. "Tori came running. Without her I don't..."

"You were with Tori?" Bella exclaimed bitterly. She was fighting for breath. She scraped her chair back and stood up, her whole body shaking with anger and grief. She couldn't think straight. Black spots appeared in her line of vision and her legs began to wobble. The last thing she heard was Charlie calling her name as she fainted right in front of him.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	53. Chapter 53

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Three**

The wind lifted Bella's hair from her neck, sending the silky strands spiralling. She shivered in the cold air. A light rain had fallen leaving the fresh smell of tilled earth behind. She looped a lock of her hair behind her ear as she hunkered down in front of her mother's grave. The fresh flowers she had placed there only a week ago were already wilting. They didn't last long in the choppy weather. Winter was beginning to make itself felt as the fall period drew to a close. Leaves of a differing colours, ranging from a faded brown to burnished gold, carpeted the ground around her. The ones that still clung onto the tree branches trembled in the breeze.

"You didn't need to come here alone you know."

Bella startled at the sound of Leah's voice. Like all the wolves she moved silently, enabling her to creep up on people unawares. She ignored Bella's irritated scowl as she settled down beside her. "Do you all have to keep following me around?" She snapped. "Am I not allowed any privacy?"

Leah didn't rise to the bait. She endured the whiplash of Bella's anger, in fact she understood it. This had been her not so long ago when she had lost her beloved father. "It's not healthy to push away those who care about you." She said quietly.

"How dare you lecture me?" Bella whirled to her feet and glared at Leah ferociously.

"I can and I will." Leah rose gracefully. She towered over Bella, her stance could have been seen as intimidating, but the gentle expression on her face proved otherwise. "I understand what it feels like to blame the wrong people for what has gone wrong in your life."

"If this is about my dad again, I don't want to hear it. I've already had enough from Jacob and Billy." Bella pulled her hood over her head and began to march off but Leah kept pace with her easily. "Leave me alone." She raged when she couldn't shake the she-wolf off.

"I could do that, but I won't." Leah refused to back down. She didn't care if Bella used her as a verbal punching bag. She'd done the same to others in the past.

"For god's sake!" Bella cried in frustration when the wind whipped the hood from her head. Her hair took flight, wrapping around her face and obscuring her vision. She sniffled, clawing at her hair as she tried to pull it out of her eyes, but she struggled in vain. It was getting too much. All of it. She couldn't cope. She began to shake, but not with cold this time. Her eyes welded shut as tears threatened to surface. She didn't want to cry, not in front of Leah. "Leave me alone." She choked out. "Just...just..."

"C'mere, idiot." Leah wrapped her arms around a protesting Bella and held her tightly.

Bella struggled for a moment, but Leah wouldn't let go. Eventually she sagged against the taller girl, her tears falling from under her closed lids despite herself. "It's not fair. It's just not fair."

"No it's not." Leah whispered sadly as she did her best to comfort Bella. "Life isn't fair at all."

* * *

Bella let herself into the Black's house using the spare key Jacob had given her. Since Renee's death she had been staying there, not comfortable with sharing a house with her father while she dealt with her resentment toward him. Jacob and Billy had moved back home at the same time. Charlie wasn't coping. He had withdrawn into himself and was barely speaking to anyone. Billy had tried to get through to him but the police chief had lashed out, ordering his friend out of the house.

 _"You're better now." Was his parting shot. "You've got Cora. You've got your son. Go home."_

When Bella slipped inside the house she found Billy sitting at the kitchen table, carving. He often did this to while away the time. "Oh, you're back." He said, taking off his glasses. "Do you want a hot drink?"

"I'll make it. You stay there." Bella knew that Billy had noticed her red eyes. She didn't feel like talking about how she was feeling. It had been a kind of emotional release crying in Leah's arms. Now she just felt tired. She boiled the kettle and made them both a strong coffee.

Billy thanked Bella politely as she placed his mug in front of him. "Why don't you sit down and keep me company for a while?" He asked, gesturing to an empty seat. "Jake should be back soon."

Bella didn't really want to. She had hoped to escape to Jacob's room and curl up on his bed with a good book, but she felt rude refusing Billy's offer. She pulled out a chair and sat down. "The wind is really getting up out there." She said for something to say.

"Do you really want to talk about the weather?" Billy didn't bother mincing his words. He seemed to be copying Leah's direct approach. Bella eyed him warily. "Please don't look like at me like that, Bella." He continued quietly. "I'm on your side."

"Then what?" Bella cradled her hot mug of coffee in her hands. She already knew what was coming.

"You can't keep avoiding Charlie." Billy said carefully. "What happened to your mom wasn't his fault. She had a hidden heart condition. It could have happened at any time. You know that."

"He took Victoria directly to her." Bella retorted bitterly.

"Despite what she is...Victoria wasn't responsible for Renee's death either." Billy pointed out gently. He couldn't believe he was actually defending the red headed vamp, but in this instance in her own bizarre way she had been trying to help Charlie "Your mom was malnourished, she was dehydrated. She hadn't been taking care of herself. That all placed an immense strain on her already weakened heart."

"I gave mom that check for a reason. I know how ill prepared she always was to look after herself. Victoria took it upon herself to steal it in some sick, twisted game that I don't understand. As a result my mom fell in with the wrong crowd. She must have been so desperate." Bella felt tears well in her already sore eyes. She was so damn sick of crying. "Then my dad had to add to the pressure by arguing with her because he says he wanted CLOSURE." She yelled the last word.

"She was a grown woman who made her own choices. There were other ways she could have chosen to support herself." Billy knew he was pushing Bella too far, her brown eyes were blazing, but he ploughed on regardless. "Charlie supported Renee financially long after he had to. Even when she married your stepfather he still sent her money. You can't be angry at him for wanting closure."

"But he could see what state she was in..."

"Renee was thin for sure, but a few harsh words from your old man was not what killed her. Her own bad choices did that." Billy drowned out Bella's protests. He knew Jacob would be angry at him for forcing Bella to confront the painful truth but she needed to hear it. There were too many people suffering, Charlie included.

"You have no right to lecture me about bad choices." Bella was fighting for breath. Her chest felt tight. "You've spent your whole life making them and Jake got hurt in the process." She accused.

Billy's jaw clenched. Her words wounded his soul, but he couldn't deny the grain of truth embedded in her bitter rejoinder. "Maybe so, Bella." He ground out. "I have a lot to answer for. But we all have to live with the consequences of our actions, don't we."

Bella gasped. She shoved her chair away from the table, leaving her coffee to grow cold. "You can't throw Edward in my face."

"And you can't throw Victoria in Charlie's, especially as he has no idea what she is. You're struggling so much with all of this because seeing the way he has been enthralled by her is like holding up a mirror to yourself. You are both so alike but you are too stubborn to admit it. Go home and forgive him, Bella." Billy urged her.

"I see." Bella muttered. "I'll pack my things."

"I didn't mean that I wanted you to leave." Billy said in alarm. "I meant..."

"I understood your full meaning." Bella snapped. "I know when I've outstayed my welcome."

"You are deliberately misunderstanding me." Billy said in frustration.

Jacob walked in just then. He had caught the tail end of their confrontation. He marched over to join them, his handsome face stern. "What have you done now?" He questioned Billy harshly.

"He's told me a few home truths." Bella said stiffly. "I'm going to pack my things."

"Bells." Jacob caught her hand and stopped her from leaving. "He didn't mean what he said. Stay."

"But I did." Billy interjected. His voice was full of sorrow as he regarded his son and Bella sadly. "Everything is falling apart. We're all in pain. We need to support each other to get through this." He implored.

Bella's lips quivered as she breathed in sharply through her nose. She was barely functioning. It was all getting too much. "I'm going to pack. Your dad's right, Jake. It's time I went home." She eased her hand out of his and headed for his bedroom to gather her things.

"Why couldn't you just leave things alone? You can see how much she has been suffering." Jacob accused. His voice was dripping with disappointment as he glared at his father. "Bells and Charlie offered us sanctuary when we were struggling. And you couldn't do the same for her without piling on the pressure. You never learn do you."

"Jake." Billy pleaded. "You might not believe this but I was forcing her to confront her feelings for her sake. Pussyfooting around her hasn't helped, she's just getting more bitter every day. She needs her dad and Charlie needs his daughter. It's been six weeks since the funeral and they've hardly spoken."

"Not much different to us then." Jacob countered. He ignored the hurt on Billy's face as he strode away angrily and went to join Bella.

* * *

Charlie was dozing in front of the flat screen. He had been doing that a lot lately since Bella had moved out. His days consisted of the same routine. He would go to bed late and get up even later. He had taken an extended leave of absence from work citing depression. Empty beer bottles littered the floor. The only way he could sleep was to drink himself into a stupor. Every day he tried to ring Tori, but so far she hadn't called him back. She had abandoned him just like Bella had. He had tried reaching out to his daughter but Bella kept knocking him back until he had retreated into himself and given up the fight. He knew that she blamed him for Renee's death. Hell, he blamed himself too. He relived the traumatising event every night in his dreams.

Charlie heard the latch on the front door click. He opened his eyes, feeling disorientated. He rubbed a hand over his face, his stubble scratched his palm. He hadn't shaved for days. He sat up in his recliner, staring blearily toward the hallway. "Who's there?" He called out.

A shadowy figure appeared in his line of sight. By the shape it was obviously female. For a brief second his pulse raced as he thought it might be Tori, but then disappointed flooded his soul when Sue Clearwater stepped into the light. She was shorter than Tori and much curvier. Right now she had her hands on her hips and was staring around the room in disgust. "So, this is how you choose to deal with things. Don't you and Billy ever learn?" She scolded him as if he was a child.

"What?" Charlie felt confused.

Sue shook her head in disbelief as she rolled up her sleeves and twisted her long, silky black hair into a messy ponytail. "Get up you old fool. We have half an hour before she gets here."

"Huh?" Charlie rose unsteadily to his feet. "Who?"

"Bella." Sue replied in exasperation. "Go upstairs and make yourself more presentable while I try and clear up in here. Jake called me to let me know that Bella is on her way back home. Do you really want her to see the mess you've got yourself in. Now move." She ordered him.

Charlie gulped, licking his lips. Sue could be fierce when she wanted to. He nodded his head in her direction, mumbling his thanks before heading up the stairs to the bathroom.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	54. Chapter 54

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Four**

Jacob parked his car behind Charlie's cruiser. He noticed that Sue's car was already gone. He thanked the older woman in his head for coming to Charlie's rescue. Jacob wanted to protect Bella from seeing how far her father had fallen in the last few weeks. "I'll get your bags." He said to her as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Why don't you go on ahead and open the front door?"

Bella was well aware of what he was doing. She smiled wryly. "You're not coming in with me, are you." It wasn't a question.

"Not right away." Jacob smiled at her encouragingly. "You need to clear the air with him. And that's best done in private. I'll wait out here until you're done." His smile faded a little as he met her anxious gaze. "If it doesn't work out you can come back home with me, honey." He reached out and looped a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Is it bad that I want you to come back with me. I'm gonna miss you not sleeping next to me every night."

"Me too." Bella's eyes shimmered with tears as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, letting her lips linger on his for a moment. "Love you." She said softly as she reluctantly pulled away.

"Love you more." Jacob watched her slowly walk toward the Swan house. He could see she was struggling. She took so long to reach the front porch that he was on the verge of changing his mind and going in with her. But before he had a chance the front door opened and Charlie appeared. Jacob was glad to see that the police chief was freshly shaved and his hair combed. His eyes were still bloodshot but at least he had freshened up.

"Dad." Bella greeted him as she stood at the bottom of the porch steps.

"Bells." Charlie replied gruffly. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans and he rocked on his heels, clearly feeling awkward. "Are you okay?"

"I think we need to talk." Bella climbed up the steps hesitantly. When she reached him she stopped. He was standing in front of the doorway so she couldn't get in. "May I come in?" She asked formerly.

Charlie's face crumbled. "Of course you can come in. You don't need to ask, Bells. This is your home." He stepped aside, gazing at her sadly.

"Thanks." Bella mumbled. She cast one last glance toward Jacob as if seeking reassurance. He smiled at her encouragingly and a small smile fleeted across her face in response. Charlie looked in Jacob's direction and nodded his head in greeting before following his daughter inside.

* * *

"I can make you a drink." Charlie offered as he hovered around the kitchen, opening and shutting cupboards. They were all empty. He hadn't bothered to do any shopping. "Um...there's water." He said, ashamed.

"I'm not thirsty." Bella took a seat at the kitchen table and gestured for him to do the same.

Charlie scraped his chair back, wincing at the loud noise. He looked at Bella apologetically as he sat down heavily. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine." Bella said coolly. He was frustrating her already and hated that she was feeling irritated with him so quickly. She tried to remain calm. "Just relax."

"Yes. I'll relax." Charlie a rubbed a hand over his face as he tried to clear the fog in his brain. He was still feeling harassed after being quickly knocked into shape by Sue Clearwater. "I'm happy your home, kiddo."

"I'm not home yet." Bella responded sharply.

"But I thought..." Charlie felt confused. He put his fingers on his aching temples.

Bella frowned as she studied her father's sluggish reactions. She had glimpsed the lounge when she had first come in. It seemed tidy enough, though the rest of the house had an air of neglect. She had been looking for evidence that Charlie had been drinking, but had seen no empty bottles. She had turned up without warning him just so she could catch him unawares, but now she was beginning to think that her father had prior knowledge that she was coming. Scowling, Bella rose out of her chair and headed for the fridge.

"Bells?" Charlie hastily reached out to stop her but he was too late, she had already opened the door. "It's not what you think."

"Don't lie to me." Bella snapped as she pulled out a stack of bottles. "You've been drinking. And I can tell your hung over."

"I only had a couple..." Charlie's cheeks turned red as he lied.

"Don't take me for an idiot." Bella slammed the fridge closed in disgust. "This is what you always do when you can't cope. You go and get hammered. Billy's just the same. I've seen how much he can put away when Jake isn't there to stop him."

"Billy's drinking again." Charlie swallowed thickly. "He's not supposed to drink too much alcohol. It interferes with his meds."

"What do you care, dad?" Bella threw her hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Of course I care." Charlie retorted indignantly. "I've always cared."

"Well you've got a funny way of showing it." Bella sneered. Her blood was beginning to boil. This was similar to the argument that she'd had with Charlie which made her flee to the Black's in the first place. "When are you going to take responsibility for yourself, huh?"

"I am. I will." Charlie stumbled as he grabbed the rest of the beer bottles in his arms and went to the sink. He began to open them one by one and flush the beer down the sink. "I'll stop right now. I promise. You move back home and you'll see the difference. I'll prove it."

Tears welled in Bella's eyes as she watched the determined expression on his face as he tried to prove himself. "You're the only parent I've got left, dad." She sobbed. "I can't lose you, too."

Charlie felt his throat tighten as he abandoned the beer bottles and went over to his precious daughter, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. "You won't lose me, Bells. I promise. I'll do better. I will. You'll see. Please trust me."

Bella couldn't stop crying. She nodded against his shoulder as she allowed him to comfort her. All her tightly wound feelings of grief exploded as her walls came crashing down.

"It's gonna be alright, Bells." Charlie vowed. "I'm here now. I'm here."

* * *

Billy heard a car pull up, he was expecting Cora, but when he peered out the curtains he was surprised to see Charlie climbing out of his cruiser. A smile lit up his face as he hastily rolled his chair down the hall to open the front door. Bella's talk must have gone well for his friend to suddenly pay him a visit out of the blue. Billy couldn't wait to welcome Charlie back. He had missed his partner in crime. It was like a part of him was missing without his best friend by his side.

"Hey, Chief." He greeted him when he pulled open the door. "It's good to see you."

"You might not think so when you hear what I have to say." Charlie replied grimly. "We've got to talk."

Billy's happiness vanished like a puff of smoke. Charlie was angry. It showed in every line of his body. He was wound up tighter than a coiled spring. Billy shut the front door and spun his chair around so he could follow his friend. When he caught up with the police chief, Charlie was already sitting on his old couch, his posture rigid and eyes hard.

"I've just spoken to Bella. And Jake too."

"That's good. Isn't it?" Billy faltered. Dread settled in his stomach. What the hell had Bella told her old man? Surely she hadn't let out their secret. Charlie had said he had spoken to Jacob too. "Whatever it is I can explain, chief."

"I doubt it." Charlie said sarcastically as he abruptly rose to his feet and headed for the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out a couple of beers.

"You want a drink at this time of day." Billy was confused.

Charlie didn't answer him right away. Instead he opened the bottom cupboards and began to pull out other beer bottles hidden stealthily behind the usual clutter. He stacked them on the table with the others. Billy's expression turned grey as he watched Charlie easily find all his usual hiding places. Finally in the hall cupboard Charlie found a cardboard box full of bottles of moonshine. He glowered as he dumped them on the table with the beer. "This is quite a collection you've got here."

"I'm storing those for Old Quil." Billy protested. "And I've had those beers for ages. I forgot they were in the cupboard."

Charlie grabbed a kitchen chair and spun it around and straddled it so he was facing Billy. "This is me you're talking to, Billy. Don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes. Bells already let slip that she's caught you indulging when Jake is out of the house. You are not supposed to drink to excess. You know that. You're putting your health at risk...AGAIN."

"Don't yell at me, chief." Billy said defensively. "You are in no position to criticize me when you indulge yourself."

"I don't indulge, Billy, I get blind drunk. And so do you." Charlie corrected him. "And today it stops. From now on we are on the wagon." He got up again and went to the kitchen sink. He began to gather the bottles and toss their contents down the sink right in front of Billy's horrified eyes.

* * *

Charlie felt calmer then he had in weeks. His daughter was back home under the same roof again. His friendship with Billy had nearly cracked under the strain of their most recent confrontation, but it had been a necessary one. His talk with Bella had been an eye opener. He had been finding solace in drink, just like Billy, and their kids were suffering the consequences of their selfish actions. Their argument had been fierce, Billy didn't want to admit that he had a drink problem, but the fact he was hiding the booze showed how low he had sunk. Eventually he had succumbed to the truth when Charlie forced him to face how much he was putting his health at risk. He had yelled at him, demanding did he want to die like Harry did. Their friend had refused to heed warnings that he was putting his life at risk by eating so much and putting an immense strain on his heart, leading to his early death.

"You are the only parent Jake has left." Charlie echoed the same phrase Bella had used on him. It worked, Billy had broken down and admitted he was struggling to get through the day without a drink in his hand. It had gotten worse when Charlie had distanced himself after Renee had died.

"It was my way of coping." He confessed.

"Well, we both need to find a different way." Charlie said wearily. "We need to help each other, Billy."

"Yeah...together." Billy agreed as he reached out to his friend.

They had made a pact. They were going to be each others sponsor. If one was struggling then they needed to call the other. They vowed to make it work for their children's sake.

* * *

Bella and Jacob were out on a date. Charlie came home from work to a quiet house. He had finally gone back after getting his act together. His colleagues welcomed him with open arms. He had just hung up his gun belt when his cell rang. He answered it, assuming it was the station. He wasn't prepared to hear Tori's voice.

"Meet me at the Marina." She said cryptically, ending the call before he had a chance to respond.

Charlie stared at his cell. He could feel his pulse quickening. How was it that even just the sound of her voice over the phone could have such a profound effect on him. He fought with himself, torn between wanting to ignore her and longing to see her again. The latter won out. He grabbed his keys and headed out of the house. Tori owed him an explanation if nothing else. At least that's how he justified it to himself as he climbed into the cruiser and set off for Port Angeles.

* * *

Tori was sitting on the edge of the small dock, her bare feet dangling in the water. Her vibrant red hair shone in the twilight. It was like a beacon calling to him. Charlie swallowed thickly as he approached her cautiously. As he settled down beside her, she turned her head and flashed him a captivating smile. "I knew you would come."

"You knew more than me." Charlie said gruffly. He couldn't stop staring at her lovely profile. She was mesmerising. "Where have you been, Tori? I called you."

Tori's smile faded as her expression turned serious. The dark water was reflected in her mirrored sunglasses as she regarded him thoughtfully. "I had to stay away while I practiced my new diet. I had to see if I could stick to it."

"Diet?" Charlie exploded incredulously. "You are something else. You really are. I watched my ex wife die in front of me. You were there one minute then left me to suffer on my own. Do you have no concept of how awful my life has been these last few weeks. You are selfish to the core, Tori. And I am done playing your twisted games. We are done here."

Tori's hand snaked out and captured his before he had a chance to rise. Charlie felt the coldness from her touch infect his skin. He tried to snatch his hand back but her grip was surprisingly strong. He glared at her. "Take those ridiculous sunglasses off and look me in the eyes, Tori. Look me in the eyes and show that you give a shit. Otherwise let go of me."

"I've been hunting the Cullens these last few weeks. That's why I have been out of contact." Tori said coolly as her free hand wandered to her sunglasses. Slowly she began to pull them down. Charlie held his breath as he watched her. "I found them hiding out in Denali like the cowards they are...well some of them anyway. One of them is missing. I traced him back here."

"Who?" Charlie gasped as he remembered to breathe again.

"Edward Cullen is back for your daughter." Tori confirmed as she finally revealed her eyes to Charlie. Immediately he became lost in them. They were a deep golden brown, like molten honey. "You like?" Tori asked.

"Yes." Charlie whispered in awe. "They're beautiful."

"Then sticking to my diet was worth it." Tori said with a teasing smile as finally let go of his hand and rose gracefully to her feet.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	55. Chapter 55

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Five**

"I can't believe that I've caught another cold." Bella moaned as she lay in bed against a pile of heaped up pillows. After their date the night before she had begun to feel a headache forming. A sure sign that she was coming down with something. "It's all this damn stress." She sniffled.

Jacob reached for her hand as he sat forward in the kitchen chair he'd carried upstairs to sit on. He was so tall he made it look like children's furniture. Bella caught her reflection in the mirrored surface of her clock radio as she checked the time. She looked totally bedraggled: red nose, rheumy eyes. Her hair was a mess, too. "You don't have to stay with me, Jake. You should go to the party."

Sam and Emily were celebrating their anniversary. Jacob and Bella were supposed to have been going together. She hated that he was stuck here with her because she was sick again. It couldn't be fun for him sitting there watching her sneeze and cough like an old lady.

"You should go." Bella wheezed again. "Have fun."

"How can I have fun without you. I'd rather be here." Jacob smiled at her indulgently as he squeezed her fingers.

"I don't see why." Bella grumbled as she sneezed again. Jacob thoughtfully passed her a tissue. "You're too good to me." She dabbed at her sore nose, smiling at him gratefully. "At least you can't catch this. You don't know how lucky you are."

"I am lucky." Jacob conceded. "But not so much because I can't get sick anymore." He leaned forward, brushing his lips against Bella's. "I'm lucky because you love me."

"You old romantic." Bella praised him before another cough erupted from her throat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Jacob grazed his fingers across her hot cheek, making her feel even hotter.

Charlie knocked on the door then and opened it without waiting for a response. "I've brought you some orange juice, Bells."

"Thanks, dad." Bella rasped as Charlie passed her it to her awkwardly.

"No problem, kiddo." Charlie's expression softened before his gaze travelled to Jacob. He frowned, his face turning serious again. "Um...can I have a word, son."

"Okay." Jacob exchanged a confused glance with Bella before following the police chief out of the room. Charlie quickly closed the door to Bella's room to cut off her view of them. "Is something wrong?" Jacob asked, picking up on the tension radiating from the older guy.

Charlie put his hands on his hips and began to pace. He seemed uneasy. "I appreciate you staying over and helping to look after Bella while she's sick." He began.

"I would have done it anyway." Jacob shrugged, wondering where Charlie was going with this.

"I know you would. You and Bells are good together. Have I ever told you that before?" Charlie stopped pacing and looked Jacob straight in the eyes.

"No...but it's good to hear." Jacob replied cautiously. Something was definitely bothering the police chief. He wished that Charlie would just get to the point.

Charlie began to pace again before stopping outside of Bella's closed door. He looked stricken for a moment, before shaking his head as if to clear it. "I have it on good authority that Edward Cullen has been seen heading this way." He revealed suddenly.

"What?" Jacob exploded.

"Hush." Charlie quietened him. "I don't want Bells to know. Not until she's feeling a bit better." He pulled Jacob further away from his daughter's room. "I don't know exactly where he is, but I know that he has come back in order to try and reconcile with Bella. She can't see him, Jake. There is something dodgy about him and his whole family. I'm doing my own private investigation, off the books so to speak."

Jacob tried to keep calm. This was the worst news possible. He had been hoping and praying that the mansion burning down was the last time he was going to have to come across Edward Cullen. It had been quite a few weeks since it had happened, and with no sign of the coven, he and the rest of the pack had assumed that whatever family members had survived the fire were gone for good. Jacob breathed sharply through his nose as he tried to concentrate and keep his wolf at bay. Then something suddenly occurred to him. How the hell would Charlie know all this? He became fully focused as he studied Bella's father warily.

"Don't give me that look, Jake." Charlie warned him as he guessed what Jacob was thinking. "Yes, Tori was the one who told me. She used her contacts to track down the Cullen family."

"You've seen her again." Jacob couldn't believe it. Bella would go mental when he told her.

"She's been in contact." Charlie confessed. "She explained why she hasn't been around these last few weeks.

"I bet she has." Jacob scowled.

"That family has done her wrong just like they did to my daughter. They're guilty of something, Jake. Why else would they set fire to their own property when Tori showed up to confront them? They put countless lives at risk, including yours and Bella's. I am going to find the evidence I need and bring them to justice." Charlie vowed determinedly.

"Is this what Tori told you?" Jacob said in disbelief. The red head really had Charlie wrapped around her little finger. He didn't know what kind of game she was playing, but it had to stop. She had the police chief thinking she was just a pawn in all this, an innocent victim of the Cullens manipulations.

"Tori has everyone's best interests at heart. You don't know her like I do. You only met her once at the graduation party. She may not go about things in the right way sometimes, but she's doing her best to help." Charlie had picked up on Jacob's dubious tone and he immediately jumped to Tori's defence.

The bedroom door opened then. Bella appeared in the hall, her dressing gown wrapped around her slime frame. Her eyes were feverish and she stared in confusion at Jacob and Charlie seemingly facing off with each other. "I heard raised voices." She said hoarsely.

"It's okay, Bells." Jacob rushed to her side and gently guided her back to bed. "Your medicine is due." He kissed her forehead before shooting Charlie a meaningful glance.

"I'll get it." Charlie sighed, taking his cue from Jacob. He was regretting telling him about Tori's involvement now. Billy's son clearly didn't trust Tori for some reason, even though he barely knew her. He headed down the stairs, repenting his hasty decision to confide in Jacob.

* * *

Bella gave up struggling to stay awake and fell into a deep sleep. Jacob sat beside her, holding her hand in his. Even though she was sick, she looked so peaceful lying there. She was so small, so delicate, but she had a strong spirit. She had been through so much lately. It would have crushed a weaker person. Life had been slowly settling down again and now this. Jacob didn't know what to think. He was troubled by Charlie's strange attachment to Victoria. He also couldn't understand what the red head was up to. At the party she had intimated that she had given up her quest for revenge against Bella and was seemingly focused on the Cullens instead. But ever since she kept popping in and out of their lives, or rather Charlie's, and drawing him further into her web of lies. Jacob couldn't understand what sick game she was playing.

"Jake?" There was a light tap on the door and Charlie appeared again. He noticed that his daughter was asleep and motioned for Jacob to follow him out of the room again.

"I'd rather stay with her right now." Jacob whispered harshly.

"Bells is sleeping right now. I'm not here for another argument, Jake. I want to talk." Charlie said quietly.

Jacob sighed, feeling frustrated. He leaned down and kissed Bella on the cheek. Her lips pursed as if in an answering kiss and he felt his heart flutter in his chest. He loved her so damn much. He just wanted to keep her safe from everything, but felt like he was constantly failing her. Reluctantly he left her side and followed Charlie out of the room.

"I really don't have much to say, Charlie." He said tiredly. "I just want to be with Bells."

"And you can...soon." Charlie replied gruffly. "But I have someone who wants to talk to you."

"Who?" Jacob questioned in annoyance.

"Tori's in the diner right now waiting to speak to both of us. I told her about your concerns and she wants to lay your fears to rest." Charlie revealed, taking Jacob completely by surprise.

 _ **A/N-short but very revealing. Thanks for reading!**_


	56. Chapter 56

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Six**

Jacob was torn. He didn't want to leave Bella. Not when she was sick. But could he really pass up this opportunity to confront his enemy on neutral turf and try to understand what sick and twisted game she was playing. Or is this what she wanted, his attention, her chance to stamp her authority on the situation, to push home that she was the one in control and not him. The question also remained would he be able to control his emotions when closeted in a small space with the red head. Her smell alone would prompt his wolf to attack. Jacob had more control over his alter ego than most of the pack, but still it would be testing. He wouldn't be able to wolf out in the diner in front of Charlie and the other customers. Victoria had chosen her place well.

"Come on, Jake." Charlie urged him. The police chief was completely unaware of the thoughts racing through Jacob's head. He couldn't understand why his best friend's son was stalling. "We'll only be gone half an hour. Bells won't even know we've left. Her meds have kicked in and she'll be out for the count for at least another couple of hours."

"Just wait here." Jacob gestured for Charlie to leave him alone for a moment as he slipped back into Bella's room. He walked over to her bed and knelt down beside it. She was deeply asleep. Her hair spilled across her pillow like a satin curtain as her cheek rested on the soft strands. Her lips were parted as she breathed through her mouth. Jacob touched Bella's face gently, her skin was still hot with fever. "Bells, I hope I'm doing the right thing." He whispered huskily.

Bella didn't stir. She remained still, her thick lashes casting shadows on her cheeks as her chest rose and fell with each shallow breath she took. Jacob leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I won't be long, honey. I promise." He then rose back onto his feet and silently left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"So, I take it you're coming." Charlie said when he saw Jacob emerge.

"Yes, but I need to make a call first." Jacob avoided the older man's gaze as he hurried down the stairs out of Charlie's earshot so he could call Leah in private.

* * *

"Why are you calling me and not Sam?" Leah asked curiously.

"Does it matter?" Jacob retorted defensively.

"Not really." Leah yelled out to Sue that she had to go out for a while. Sue barely looked up as her daughter left. She was used to her children coming and going at odd hours.

"Look...I trust you, okay. I don't think Sam would agree with what I'm doing." Jacob confessed.

"And you know I'm the only one who probably won't tell him." Leah laughed darkly. "Well played with the whole trust speech, Jacob."

"I'm not playing. You are the only one I trust with Bella. You've been good to her...to us. It will give me peace of mind that you're with her while I'm gone." Jacob said earnestly.

"Okay, you've made your point." Leah's voice was softer now. "Just give me ten minutes and I'll be right over."

"Thanks, Lee. I owe you one." Jacob didn't hide his relief as he ended the call and went back to stall Charlie for another few minutes until Leah arrived.

* * *

Jacob didn't know what to expect when he walked into the diner with Charlie. He was tense and doing his best to rein in his emotions. He wanted to appear stoic in front of Victoria and give her no reaction if she tried to bait him. He didn't trust the vamp an inch.

Cora arrived with some menus. "Is that your lady friend?" She whispered to Charlie. "She's very attractive." A small line appeared between her brows. "No wonder you never noticed me." She mumbled under her breath as she led them toward the booth where Tori was sitting, hiding in the shadows.

Jacob smelled Victoria before he saw her. He tried to hold his breath as the red head's sickly sweet scent played havoc with his senses. His nostrils flared and he had to force down the urge to phase. He let Charlie go in front of him and concentrated hard on trying to appear casual. The last thing he needed was for his emotions to show on his face. Charlie sat down first, choosing to sit next to Victoria. Jacob hid his scowl as he slipped into the seat opposite them.

"Can I take your orders now?" Cora asked. She was gazing at Tori curiously as if trying to work her out.

"We'll just order drinks for now." Charlie smiled, seemingly totally at ease. "Jake and I will have coffee. Tori?" He turned to smile at his companion.

"Water." Tori gave him a lazy smile before she turned the full force of her attention on Jacob. A surprised gasp left his lips when he saw the colour of her eyes. His own registered confusion for a second before he covered it up behind a stoical mask. "It's nice to meet you... _again_." She said directly to Jacob, a small smirk crossing her red lips, before it disappeared abruptly when Charlie glanced in her direction.

"I wish I could say likewise." Jacob replied, doing little to hide the sarcasm in his tone.

"Jake." Charlie warned him. "There's no need to speak to Tori like that."

Cora arrived then to interrupt them. She placed their drinks on the table, gazing at the gathered group curiously. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife. "Is everything alright here?" She asked nervously.

"We're fine, Cora." Charlie said curtly. "Thanks for the drinks."

Cora knew when she had been dismissed. She shot Charlie a hurt filled glance. He had never spoken to her so coolly in all the time they had known each other. "Well let me know when you are ready to order." She said stiffly, before flouncing off in a huff.

Victoria suddenly turned on her charm full force. Much to Jacob's disgust she laid a hand on Charlie's arm, earning herself a smile from him. Her lips curved upwards in an answering smile and her eyes sparkled playfully. "I think your friend is upset. You should go and make amends." She suggested.

"I suppose." Charlie hedged. "I didn't mean to be so short with her." With difficulty he tore his eyes away from Tori's mesmerising smile and focused on Jacob. "Mind your manners, son." He reminded him. "I won't be long." He patted Tori's hand before rising out of his seat and heading in Cora's direction.

As soon as Charlie was out of the way Tori's expression turned serious. "I'm actually surprised you came." She said in a low voice to Jacob.

"I nearly didn't." Jacob glared at her, still struggling internally to disguise his emotions.

"But still you did." Tori's gaze flicked to Charlie, who was leaning against the counter talking to Cora. Her expression softened for a moment, something which Jacob immediately noticed.

"You need to leave Charlie alone." He interjected coldly. "He is ignorant to what is going on here."

"Yes, you've kept him in the dark about everything." Tori's face hardened again.

"I don't have to explain my reasons, especially to you. What games are you playing? Are you getting some sick thrill out of manipulating Bella's dad? Is that it?" Jacob saw anger flash in Tori's eyes for a moment as she matched his steely gaze. "Whatever your intentions are toward him, this all stops now. Today."

"I have no ill intentions toward him." Tori hissed. "If I wanted to hurt him I have had plenty of opportunity." She looked toward Charlie again, her brow furrowing. "He would make a terrible vampire." She said suddenly, changing the direction of the conversation completely.

"What are you talking about?" Jacob questioned in disbelief.

"It takes a certain type of personality to live like we live." Tori was still staring at Charlie as she spoke. "His morality would be tested and he wouldn't survive."

"Morality." Jacob was incredulous. "You dare to talk about morals."

Tori's head snapped back to face Jacob. She sat forward, her lovely face twisted into a scowl. "When the Cullens slaughtered James I wanted vengeance so badly I was willing to do anything to get it. I wanted Edward and his coven to suffer like I suffered. That meant destroying the one person he coveted the most."

"You're sick and this was a mistake." Jacob could feel fine tremors rippling up and down his spine. He was losing control rapidly.

"I was in a very dark place and things only got worse when you and your kind stopped me from achieving my goal." Tori continued on regardless, even though she was fully aware of Jacob's reaction to her words. "At my lowest point I came up with a plan to build an army of newborns." She saw disgust cross Jacob's handsome face mixed with horror. "When a vampire is first changed they are at their strongest. Can you imagine the devastation that would cause? The night I crossed paths with Charlie I was on a scouting mission to find my first victim. I needed someone strong to help me achieve my goals...and when I saw him... _her father_..." Tori paused, letting the full effect of her words sink into Jacob's mind. "It would have been so perfect. Such a cruel twist and such a perfect way to gain my revenge."

"But you didn't." Jacob whispered huskily. His heart was racing like his mind as he realised just how close they had been to Armageddon.

"No." The fire in Tori died down and she relaxed, sitting back and looking at Jacob earnestly. "It is ironic how one conversation can change the course of your existence."

"Charlie did that?" Jacob said gruffly.

"He called James a brute. Just like that. A brute. I would have killed a lesser mortal for daring to talk about James that way." Tori's golden brown eyes flicked to Charlie again. He was still talking to Cora, laughing about something Billy had told her. "Then he talked about his daughter...about Edward Cullen...his ex wife..." She shook her head as if trying to clear it. "He gave me pause to think. To reassess everything that had happened to me up until that point. And the more I thought about things, the more I delved into what made me who I am, what made me succumb to James and all his craziness. I came to the conclusion that his daughter and I are not so very different. We have both been abused by controlling individuals who took away our sense of self and should have left us well alone. Edward Cullen is no different to James even under his veneer of civility. The whole coven is questionable. So much of what happened that night doesn't stack up."

"What do you want, Tori?" Jacob asked her thickly, not even registering that he had used the shortened version of her name.

"I want to help." Tori said earnestly. "While Edward Cullen still exists he will not stop pursuing your girlfriend just like James did with me until he broke me. He will not rest until she is his again by any means possible. His morals are as skewed as any vampires, just like all of the Cullens. Even when he left her that first time he was already on his way back. He left her a weak mess knowing full well that she would fall apart pining for him. Then he comes crashing back into her life and he has total control. It's a pattern. But in her case you got in the way. Talk to your girl about what happened the night James attacked."

"She already told me." Jacob scowled.

"Did she? Or did she tell you the sanitised version of the truth. Make her talk, not just about that, but everything about her interaction with the Cullens. Maybe then your eyes will be opened." Tori stopped talking as soon as Charlie reappeared to join them.

"Is everything alright here?" He asked warily.

"Yes, we've come to an understanding." Tori flashed him a vibrant smile.

"Jake?" Charlie questioned.

"Yes... an understanding of sorts." Jacob agreed reluctantly.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	57. Chapter 57

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Seven**

Tori, not surprisingly, cut the meal short when the food arrived. She suddenly had somewhere else to be. Jacob could see the disappointment etched onto Charlie's face as she abruptly left without telling him when she would be in contact again. For Jacob it was too much of a painful reminder of the way Bella used to be when she was in thrall to Edward. It made Tori's warning even more acute. Troubled, Jacob walked back with Charlie toward the Swan house.

"It's a shame Tori had to leave." Charlie lamented. "She did put your mind at rest though, didn't she."

Jacob could see the police chief was eager for his reassurance, but he just couldn't give it to him. Despite what Tori had said he still felt ambivalent about her motives, and also her confession at what she had originally intended to do until she encountered Charlie horrified him. The thought of a newborn army of vampires attacking La Push and threatening all he held dear was frightening. Tori hadn't followed through with her plan, but how could he be sure she wouldn't change her mind again if she was thwarted in her new scheme. He didn't trust her, not even a little bit. She was still too unpredictable and her past spoke for itself.

"You are still not sure about her, are you." Charlie muttered as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Are you?" Jacob countered. "She keeps drifting in and out of your life. She's not reliable, Charlie. I think it would be a good idea if you kept your distance from her." He saw the same stubborn look cloud the older man's face at his words. Once again the similarity between Charlie and Bella was striking. Jacob had to look away.

"You're young still and know nothing about life." Charlie retorted irritably. "I'm going to head into work. Tell Bells I'll see her later." He stalked off toward the cruiser in a huff before Jacob had a chance to respond.

* * *

"That was quick." Leah was surprised to see Jacob back so soon. "Please tell me you didn't wolf out in the diner."

"Very funny. I could do without the sarcasm." Jacob replied shortly.

Leah wasn't offended in the slightest. "It didn't go well I take it."

"Depends on your version of well." Jacob ran his fingers through his tousled hair and looked up the stairs toward Bella's room. "How is she?" He changed the subject, effectively stopping Leah's interrogation.

"She's still asleep. I don't think she even realised you were gone and I was there." Leah studied Jacob carefully. She could see how on edge he was. His body was taut with tension. "You're not gonna tell me what the redhead said, are you." She guessed.

"Not right now. I need to speak to Bella. Thanks for watching over her." Jacob looked at Leah pleadingly, hoping that she understood he wasn't keeping things from her deliberately.

"I suppose it's best that I don't know." Leah conceded eventually. "Just on the off chance Sam decides to delve into my head." She smiled sardonically. As if that was ever likely to happen. Her former lover avoided peering into her thoughts if he didn't have to. They may have come to an understanding but relations were still awkward between them. "I'll catch you later, Jake."

"Thanks, Lee." Jacob walked Leah to the door and said his last goodbyes as she left.

* * *

Jacob sat by Bella's bed, his hand resting loosely in hers as she slept. She looked so peaceful. The meds she had taken had kicked in and had cooled her fever. Her skin no longer felt clammy to his touch. She was so beautiful. It hurt his heart that he was going to have to ask her to relive some of the most painful memories of her life. He didn't want to do it, but felt trapped. He pictured Tori's white face as she tried to prove her sincerity. He heard her voice in his head warning him.

 _"While Edward Cullen still exists he will not stop pursing your girlfriend just like James did with me until he broke me. He will not rest until she is his again by any means possible. His morals are skewed as any vampires, just like all the Cullens. Even when he left her the first time he was already on his way back. He left her a weak mess knowing full well she would fall apart pining for him. Then he comes crashing back into her life and has total control. It's a pattern. But in her case you got in the way. Talk to your girl about the night James attacked."_

"Jake." Bella's sleepy voice broke through his troubled thoughts. "Are you okay? You look worried."

Jacob smiled, easing the tension in his face. He rubbed her chilled fingers before bringing them to his lips. "Are you feeling better?" He asked gently.

"A little." Bella eased herself upright, leaning against the heaped up pillows for support.

"Can I get you anything? Are you thirsty? I can bring you a juice. Do you think you could eat something now? I could make..."

"Hush, Jake, calm down. I'm fine." Bella said hoarsely. A cough erupted from her throat and she put her hand over her mouth. "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry." Jacob apologised hastily.

"Something is bothering you. I can tell. What is it?" Bella's tired eyes scanned his handsome face in concern.

"You're not well..." Jacob hedged.

"It's a head cold. It will pass." Bella reached for his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "Just tell me what's on your mind. Is it dad? You two haven't clashed have you."

Jacob looked at her longingly, wishing he could erase the mornings events from his mind, but it was impossible. "Don't be mad."

Bella moistened her lips with her tongue. Jacob looked tortured. Whatever he had to say wasn't good. She mentally braced herself for the bad news as he crawled onto the bed beside her. She leaned against him in exhaustion, closing her eyes briefly. Jacob held her, stroking the back of her head, as he finally told her about his meeting with Tori.

* * *

The headache pounded through Bella's skull. She rubbed her aching temples, trying to push away the nightmarish memories of the night James attacked her. She was upset and angry that Victoria had essentially forced Jacob to bring up the painful subject. "We already talked about this before." She whispered brokenly.

"I know." Jacob hated himself. Bella was suffering and it was all his fault. He shouldn't have asked. His jaw muscles pulsed as he tried to keep a tight rein on his emotions. "I'm sorry I brought it up, Bells."

Bella heard the pained regret in his voice. She sniffled, swiping at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hands. "She really had the audacity to compare herself to me."

"Kinda." Jacob sighed, pressing a kiss into her hair as he held her close. He paused, wondering whether to continue, but eventually decided to forge ahead anyway as the damage had already been done. "She said you'd both been abused by controlling individuals who took away your sense of self."

Bella gasped, feeling sickened. "Edward is nothing like James. Her mate was a cunning and sadistic piece of trash." She snapped. Anger flared in her feverish eyes, anger at Victoria for sullying Edward's name. "Edward was too overprotective. I agree with that. It made him act controlling sometimes, but after what happened it was understandable."

It was hard for Jacob to listen to Bella talking about her ex. Even after all this time she was still holding onto the good she saw in him and refusing to see the bad. It hurt and was an all too painful reminder of how Charlie spoke about Tori. Jacob inhaled sharply.

When Bella glanced up at him, his eyes were shut tight, his face a grimace of pain. She knew her words had hurt him. She fumbled for his hand. "You hate me defending him."

"Yes." Jacob admitted bitterly. He opened his eyes again and met her anxious gaze. "Do you ever question anything he did? Not just him but the others, too."

Bella turned her head away from him and looked into the middle distance. Tears pricked at her eyes. "If I tried then I worry I may open up a Pandora's box that I won't be able to close."

Jacob's face relaxed the tiniest bit. He caught her chin in his warm hand and gently turned her to face him again. "I know it scares you. And I am so sorry for that. I'm just trying to understand and make sense of it all."

Bella's brown eyes were liquid as she gazed up at him. He was trying so hard to be understanding, not to push her beyond what she could endure. "I relive what happened in my nightmares." She finally admitted. Her top teeth sank into her lower lip as she tried to suppress the memories of that night resurfacing in her mind. "I remember the overwhelming panic I felt when I fled from state to state with only Jasper and Alice to protect me. I was upset that Edward didn't come with me."

Jacob pressed his lips onto hers as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She kissed him back briefly, letting her mouth linger on his, stealing his warmth, borrowing his courage so she could continue. "It was decided that the family would split up in order to protect me. I went with Jasper and Alice while Edward, Emmet and Carlisle hunted James. Esme and Rosalie stayed in Forks to protect my dad."

A small frown appeared between Jacob's brows as he cradled the back of Bella's head. Tori had said that the Cullens actions on that night didn't make sense and it was difficult but he was beginning to see her point. He and Bella had spoken about it before but not in depth. Questions began to form in his mind as Bella continued to tell him what had happened as she fled to Arizona with Alice and Jasper. Nothing about this nightmarish scenario was adding up. Why did the Cullens refuse to kill James right away while they had a chance as soon as they were aware of the threat he posed to Bella. Jacob knew he wouldn't have hesitated if he was in the same position. The coven leader's excuse that he didn't want to inflict harm was lame in the extreme. Why did the Cullens then decide to split up? Surely as a group they would have been in a stronger position to protect Bella. Why flee to Arizona? The one place where Bella had a past history and was easily discovered by Tori herself when she relayed the information to her sick mate. How had Bella escaped Jasper and Alice so easily? The little seer was a psychic, surely she would have seen Bella's intent as soon as the thought crossed her mind. They were vampires, how was it even possible for Bella to elude them in the first place. Why did they even let Bella out of their sight for even a second?

And this James may have been a gifted tracker, but the Cullens had gifts of their own. Edward could read minds. How was it that he and the others who were tracking Tori's mate lost him so easily. Bella was describing the picture Alice had drawn of the gymnasium where she used to do ballet lessons and where James had ended up ambushing her. If the little psychic had seen this in James' mind, why hadn't she picked up on anything else. Dammit, none of this made any sense whatsoever.

"Jake..." Bella swallowed. "I need you. I'm afraid." She hated that she was crying again and sounded so weak and needy, but reliving that painful night, especially in her ill state had taken its toll. Then she felt his hand, so warm, cupping her cheek, his thumb caressing her jaw line. He tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. Bella felt comforted by the tender expression reflected on his handsome face. He loved her. He was right there with her. "Despite whether you think the Cullens made bad decisions or not that night, they saved me. Edward saved me from changing by sucking James' venom out of my veins. It was so hard for him. It was a big risk, my blood was like a drug to him, but he was strong enough to withstand it and stopped."

Jacob regarded Bella sadly. He continued to caress her jaw line with his thumb. "If it was such a big risk, then why was he the one who sucked out the venom and not the doctor who had total control over his bloodlust." He asked her softly.

Bella flinched. "Carl...Carlisle was tending to my other injuries."

"And one of the others couldn't do that." Jacob pressed.

Bella's lower lip quivered as she dropped her eyes to her hands. They were shaking. "I don't know. I was out of it. I...don't know."

"So Carlisle wouldn't go against his principles to kill James but he would risk your life by allowing Edward to suck out the venom. That doesn't make sense to me, Bells." Jacob's jaw pulsed again as he tried to remain calm. "None of what you've told me makes sense. You have to admit that." He said huskily.

There was a long pause before Bella answered him. Her breath caught in her throat. "No, it doesn't."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	58. Chapter 58

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Fifty Eight**

Bella sat opposite Seth and watched him eat. He was eagerly spooning the vegetable soup she had made into his mouth. He looked up at her and smiled, causing Bella to smile back at him. Seth was such a sweetheart, he was so pure and innocent. She hoped he would never lose that and become as jaded as the others. "Do you want some more?" She asked eventually when she noticed the young shifter's bowl was becoming empty.

"Yes, please, and thank you, Bella." Seth grinned. "You are such a great cook. Even better than Emily."

This was high praise indeed. Emily was a hard person to beat. Bella stood up and ruffled Seth's hair affectionately as she went to get him some second helpings. She was feeling much better now. It had taken her a few days to shake off the cold, but she was finally on the road to recovery. Jacob had stayed with her for the duration. Sam had given him some extra time off to tend to her. It had given the young couple time to talk. Bella had slowly opened up to Jacob about her time spent with the Cullens. The conversation had been difficult at times, but was sorely needed. But now she was on her feet again, Jacob was doing longer patrol shifts in order to give his brothers a break. Seth had been left to guard her while he was away patrolling with the pack and when Charlie was at work.

"There you go, Seth. That's the last of it." Bella put the steaming bowl back in front of him. She laughed at his disappointed expression. "Don't worry I baked some cookies earlier just for you."

Seth's dark eyes shone with excitement. "Chocolate chip?" He checked.

"Of course." Bella ruffed his hair again. She envied Leah for having such a sweet sibling.

"You are so cool, Bella. Awesome in fact." Seth beamed as he dug his spoon into the bowl and slurped the soup.

"Manners, Seth." Bella pretended to hit him with a cloth before heading over to the sink to wash up the dishes.

"Sorry." Seth apologised, although he didn't look sorry at all. He raised the spoon the to his mouth again, but did make the effort to be quieter.

Bella smiled at him fondly as she began to fill the sink with water. As she washed up she found her mind wandering to the conversation she'd had with Jacob. He had forced her to face some harsh home truths. They'd argued. Her continual defence of the Cullens had hurt him. And she hated causing him pain. His pain was her pain. She had always felt it. Of course they had made up again, in more ways than one. Bella felt her cheeks turn rosy as she recalled their passionate lovemaking after one particular heated exchange.

"I've finished." Seth's voice broke through her turbulent thoughts. He was standing beside her with his empty bowl in his hands.

"Just dump it in the sink with the others." Bella blew a lock of hair out of her eyes as she dipped her fingers into the warm water.

"I'll help." Seth grabbed a towel and began to dry the rinsed dishes.

"Okay." She smiled at him, earning herself a blush in response. Seth's crush on her was still bubbling under the surface. "So...how have things been with you?" She asked as she concentrated on her soapy hands.

"Me?" Seth seemed surprised that she asked and also pleased. "I've been okay. There's not much to tell. I study, help mom, go patrolling...eat, sleep...you know, the usual stuff." He shrugged.

It saddened Bella that Seth hadn't included seeing his friends in that short statement. "You must hang out with your friends during your downtime."

"I don't have any friends anymore." Seth replied matter-of-factly. "I kinda lost touch with them all when I turned wolf."

"Seth." Bella was saddened to hear this. Luckily for Jacob his friends were part of the pack, so in that regard he hadn't lost his peer group. But poor Seth had. Instead he hung around with older guys plus his sister. The pack were a close knit group. They were like a rowdy family. Most of Seth's brothers were around the same age or older, but because he was the youngest he was often teased mercilessly by the others or left out of any major decision making because they wanted to protect him. Bella assumed he must miss having friends his own age who were more on his level.

"You must miss them."

"Nah." Seth shrugged. "Believe it or not I like my life, Bella." He dried up the last dish and tided it away. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

This was a surprise. It was the first time she had heard any member of the pack, besides Quil, express that they actually preferred the way their life had turned out. The sacrifice and commitment each pack member had made in order to protect their tribe was immense.

"Don't you get overwhelmed sometimes?" Bella wondered curiously.

"Maybe, but it's all good." Seth shrugged again as if it was no big deal. "It is what it is."

"Never change, Seth." Bella said with a wry smile.

"I don't plan to." Seth grinned again, making him look more boyish than ever. "Can I help you with anything else?" He offered.

"Actually you can." Her eye opening conversation with Seth had lit a fire under Bella. That, along with her tense conversations with Jacob, had forced her to put a lot of her past into perspective. She felt bold enough to knock down some of the mental walls she had built around her memories. It was time she dealt with what had happened. A lot of questions had been thrown up and now she needed answers. "Follow me." She motioned Seth to follow her outside.

* * *

Jacob let himself into the Swan house later on that evening. He wasn't needed at home, Billy was staying the night at Cora's. All the lights were off inside apart from a lamp burning in the lounge. He went straight into that room looking for Bella. He was surprised to find her standing in front of a large whiteboard, something which Charlie might have used at work when he was brainstorming a case with his deputies. Seth was sitting at Bella's feet, his long legs curled under him as he watched her write furiously on the board with a felt pen.

"Hey, Jake." Seth greeted him as if nothing untoward was happening.

"What's going on?" Jacob was completely mystified.

"You're home." Bella turned, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she smiled at him tiredly in greeting.

The casual way she had said _'you're home'_ made Jacob's heart skip a beat. He approached her with his arms open. She walked straight into them and slipped hers around his waist. With his arms wrapped around her snug and warm, Bella relaxed. "I've missed you. Do you need anything? You must be so tired."

"I missed you, too." Jacob let go of her enough so he could lean down and kiss her. When he pulled back he saw Seth grinning at him. He rolled his eyes at the youngster before his attention returned to the huge whiteboard. "What's all this?" He asked Bella curiously.

"Oh." Bella became flustered. "It's a time line."

"Huh?" Jacob let go of her and slipped his arm around her shoulders instead as she led him over to the board. His dark eyes scanned the board with interest.

"Bella has been busy documenting her time with the Cullens." Seth interjected eagerly. "I've been helping."

"Clearly." Jacob eyed the empty plate filled with crumbs from the huge stack of cookies Seth had scoffed while he watched Bella work.

"He's been a great help." Bella hid her smile as she a saw a red flush creep across Seth's cheeks.

"Good." Jacob hit the young shifter lightly on the shoulder. "I'm just kidding, bro."

"Oh, right." Seth smiled in relief as he relaxed again.

Jacob became serious as he studied the board again. Bella had been thorough. She had gone as far back as the day she first moved back in with Charlie, to her first crossing paths with Edward Cullen and his coven, to the accident in the high school parking lot which had shown her that Edward was no ordinary human and fuelled her obsession with him and his family. It was difficult reading. Jacob had to admire her tenacity, even if it served as a painful reminder that Bella had considered the Cullens family. She had loved them like they were human. In a way she still did. He recalled the emotion in her voice when she had talked about them during their tough conversation. It wasn't just the pain when she talked about them, but how much she cared about them.

Bella didn't speak as he continued to read, but her hand enclosed his, small and cool against his. Soothing almost. His fingers laced with hers. He wondered if she could tell how angry he was as he reached the part about her ill-fated eighteenth birthday party. He had learned long ago to control it, to push it somewhere deep inside of him where it couldn't break free until he needed to harness it.

Seth was bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement. It was like he was fighting with himself to keep quiet. Jacob scowled, glancing at him irritably. "Have you got ants in your pants or something?" He muttered.

"Sorry." Seth ducked his head as he tried to stop fidgeting.

Jacob rubbed a hand over his face. He shouldn't be snapping at Seth. It was like scolding an innocent puppy. "No, I'm sorry."

Seth's head shot up at this unexpected apology and his gaze slid to Bella. "Can I tell him?" He asked.

"Tell me what?" Jacob frowned as he too looked at Bella.

Bella swallowed thickly as she tugged him closer. She was still trying to absorb the reality of her situation herself, but she could no longer deny the correlation she had uncovered as she explored the most poignant as well as the most terrifying aspects of her interactions with the Cullens. One thing, or perhaps one member of the clan, stood out more than the others. And it wasn't Edward. Bella sighed, fighting back her grief as she raised her eyes to meet Jacob's concerned gaze. "It was Seth who noticed a pattern. He's so clever." She flashed the youngster a grateful smile. Seth glowed under her praise.

"Noticed what." Jacob tried to remain patient.

"Alice." Seth blurted out.

"Alice Cullen." Jacob repeated. "The little psychic. Your friend." He looked at Bella's stricken face and he gathered her in his arms again.

"James once pursued Alice in the same way he did me. He killed the vampire who had turned her, then left her to live a savaged existence, intrigued to see how she would turn out, so he could come back later and hunt her again." Bella whispered against his chest.

"Fuck." Jacob swore. "She knew him."

"Yes." Bella's eyes closed in pain. "Alice always insisted she saw my future as a vampire. She was always so certain. Whatever path I was on she always insisted that part of my future never changed."

"Hell." Jacob's fingers sank into Bella's lustrous hair as he cradled the back of her head. His eyes met Seth's. The young shifter was downcast now.

"It was so easy to escape Alice and Jasper when I went to the ballet studio in a stupid attempt to rescue my mom when I thought James had her. Alice didn't see my intent or his supposedly. Her foresight failed her again when her mate made the snap decision to attack me at the eighteenth birthday party that she planned. It was Alice who persuaded me to head to Italy with her to rescue Edward. It was her idea for me to go in to Volterra alone because she said she would be seen, even though most of the tourists were dressed in red robes."

"Oh, Bells." Jacob pressed a gentle kiss in her hair as he listened to the devastation in her tone.

"It was Edward's intervention that stopped me from being turned each time. But each time I was at risk she was somehow a part of it. And still she kept insisting my future showed that it was inevitable that I would be one of them." Bella's voice cracked and she couldn't go on any longer.

"And it was Alice who planned the graduation party and told Bella about it, tricking Bella into attending, probably knowing full well that Victoria was going to make a surprise appearance. Except we think somehow Victoria managed to hide the fact that she had changed her mind and had no interest in pursuing her vendetta against Bella and was targeting them instead." Seth finished for her.

Jacob was sickened. Seth's expression mirrored his. If this was true, Alice was the instigator of everything and they had been looking in the wrong place this whole time.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	59. Chapter 59

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! Just on a side note regarding the last chapter. It was also Alice who suggested the perfect place for Bella to be kept safe during the newborn battle in Eclipse and hey presto Victoria and Riley found them easily, LOL ;) Of course that battle isn't happening here, but it was also Alice who declared the weather was perfect for a certain baseball game which was the catalyst for Bella crossing paths with James and Victoria in the first place. Just sayin'**_

 **Chapter Fifty Nine**

Charlie was trawling through a mountain of paperwork. It was his least favourite part of the job. He scowled irritably when there was a sharp rap on the door of his office and one of his deputies poked his head in. "What is it, Mac?"

"You've got a visitor, chief." Mac revealed with a smirk. He was used to Charlie's moods and wasn't intimidated in the slightest. "And she's quite a beauty too."

Charlie felt his pulse quicken, already guessing who it was. Only one woman could provoke that reaction. Tori. "Well send her in." He barked at Mac as he quickly tried to tidy his appearance. He smoothed his unruly hair down and tried to iron the wrinkles out of his shirt with his hands.

The lady in question waltzed into his office but it wasn't the one who was constantly on his mind and she sure wasn't a beauty. Mac was being facetious. It was Sadie Bishop. Charlie's face failed to hide his disappointment as she sailed into his office and plopped into the vacant chair opposite his desk. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Mac chuckling to himself through the partially opened door.

"What can I do for you, Ms Bishop?" Charlie asked curtly.

"I want to report a break in." Sadie demanded, her mouth pursed in order to show off her latest lip fillers to full effect.

"You didn't need to see me to do that." Charlie pointed out coldly. "My deputy is quite able to handle that."

"You are the chief." Sadie huffed. She leaned closer, her heavily perfumed bosom resting on his desk. "I want you to handle this personally. After all you owe me after nearly poisoning me and my sister on our date."

Charlie grimaced at the memory of that particular episode. "It was an allergic reaction, that's all. It was hardly life threatening. And I don't do personal favours. So, if you'll excuse me." He waved her away.

"No I won't." Sadie sneered triumphantly. "I have my lawyer on speed dial. If you don't come and investigate the matter personally then I'm quite within my rights to sue. I have documented evidence of the injuries I sustained on our date. One press of a button and..."

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" Charlie demanded.

Sadie smiled like a Cheshire cat. "It won't come to that of course. Will it?"

* * *

Serena Bishop always freaked Charlie out. She hardly ever spoke and was always wearing that Mona Lisa smile on her face, obviously hiding her true thoughts. Like her twin, her skin was baked orange. Clearly like Sadie she also spent far too much time under the sun bed topping up her alarming tan. "All I see is broken glass on the floor. And it looks like the window was broken from the inside, meaning someone was trying to get out not in." He said suspiciously. "Did you hear anything, Ms Bishop?" He said directly to Serena.

"Serena heard a thump." Sadie spoke for her twin. "Didn't you dear." Serena nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

"I'd like to hear the story in her own words." Charlie retorted irritably. It was clear to him he had been dragged here under false pretences. This was no break in. By their own admission nothing had been stolen. He was beginning to think this was their lame attempt at getting him back for the disastrous date that he hadn't wanted to go on in the first place. The twins had been speaking badly of him all around town, spreading false rumours. He had ignored it up to now. He was above such pettiness. But he was angry that they had forced him here just to make themselves feel relevant. Considering what he had gone through in the intervening months since he had sent them to the hospital with trout pouts just made him mad that they were trying to waste his time.

"You know I can arrest you for wasting police time." He snapped in exasperation.

Sadie gasped, her overfull lips flapping as she regarded him in shock. "That is an unfounded accusation. How dare you? I am on the verge of calling my..."

"Call your lawyers. Sue me. I don't care." Charlie was angry that he had let himself get bullied into coming to their house under the threat of suing his ass off. "I..." His cell rang just then. Irritated he pulled it out of his jacket and answered the call without even checking who it was. "What?" He snarled.

"Well that's rude." Tori said in amusement.

"Tori?" Charlie's heart skipped a beat as he breathed sharply through his nose. He hadn't been prepared to hear his voice, especially after his disappointment earlier. He turned his back on the outraged Bishop twins and walked a few paces away from them. "You caught me at a bad time."

"Clearly." Tori laughed quietly. "It must be hard dealing with such devoted fans."

"Huh? What fans?" Charlie was totally confused.

"Those two old harridans who are trying to sink their claws into you." Tori laughed again. "Want some help getting rid of them?"

"I don't understand. How do you know I'm with the Bishop twins?" Charlie whispered into his cell. He glanced at the two sisters. Sadie was glaring daggers at him, while Serena looked dumbfounded.

"I was about to pay you a visit when I saw them get into the car with you." Tori purred. "So I decided to follow."

"Are you here?" Charlie breathed. "Outside. Like right now."

"I'm parked right behind your cruiser."

"Wait right there. I'm coming out." Charlie ended the call and abruptly left the house without saying another word to the twins. His heart was literally thumping out of his chest with anticipation at seeing Tori's lovely face again. He didn't hear the twins bumbling after him, demanding his attention.

The fresh air hit him square in the face as he stumbled outside. His eyes scanned the immediate area, desperate to drink in his first sight of Tori since the aborted meal at the diner when she had to leave so abruptly. He saw a red Ferrari parked behind his cruiser. It was a newer model than the one she had driven before. Charlie's stomach dropped as he guessed it was probably stolen. Tori wasn't in it however. He whirled in confusion, wondering where she had gone, when he suddenly encountered her standing in front of the Bishop twins. She had her back to him, her long, vibrant red hair shone in the weak light filtering through the murky clouds. She was leaning forward, whispering something into Sadie's ear. Charlie noticed Sadie's face pale alarmingly before she hastily grabbed her twin, nodding her head like a chicken at Tori as if in agreement, before disappearing into the house.

"Tori." Charlie called her name.

"They won't bother you again." Tori told him as she walked gracefully to join him.

"What the hell? I don't..."

"You're welcome by the way." Tori pointed out smoothly. "You do keep getting yourself in the most ridiculous situations. You are such an unusual man."

Charlie's head was spinning. His fingers sank into his hair as he tried to gather his wits. "Where have you been?" He asked eventually.

"Around." Tori replied cryptically.

"Why can't you just give me a straight answer?" Charlie snapped in frustration.

"You're angry with me." Tori's expression sobered.

"What do you expect?" Charlie shook his head to clear it and put his hands on his hips. "You keep drifting in and out of my life when you feel like it. It's all on your terms."

"I have been tracking Edward Cullen's movements." Tori revealed unexpectedly.

This startling revelation shocked Charlie. He stared at her incredulously. "How? I've been trying to do the same but with no luck."

"I have resources you don't." Tori's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "He was close to approaching your daughter on two separate occasions. You really need to be more vigilant. All of you." There was a level of frustration in her tone as she said this. "I was close to catching him..."

"You can't put yourself in danger like that." Charlie grabbed her shoulders and gazed into her darkening eyes. Her sweet scent overwhelmed him and he gulped, stepping back and letting go as he realised he had overstepped the mark. "I'm sorry."

"You were trying to protect me." A fleeting smile crossed her red lips. "You are an extraordinary individual."

"Of course I want to protect you." Charlie grumbled. "But you make it difficult. You are going about this in the wrong way. Come to the station and make an official report. If you do than I can set the wheels in motion and we can investigate this thing properly instead of using unlawful means."

"I have to go." Tori began to withdraw from him again. "I'll be in touch."

"Wait." Charlie tried to follow but she was fleeter of foot than him. She was in her car and revving it up before he could catch her. "When will I see you again?" He yelled as she began to reverse.

"Soon." Tori shouted through her opened window as she spun the Ferrari around and sped off down the Bishop's drive.

* * *

The television droned on, background noise. It was some cooking show. Jacob could never understand having whole channels devoted to cooking, but Bella was invested in it, so he couldn't complain. Especially when he reaped the benefits. The front door slammed open, startling them both. Bella, who was leaning against Jacob on the sofa, nearly fell off. He caught her in time just as Charlie marched in. The police chief was obviously in a foul mood.

"What's wrong, dad?" Bella asked as she exchanged a worried glance with Jacob.

"The damn Bishop twins turned up the station and decided to play me." Charlie muttered. "They're still ticked off about that disastrous date they tricked me into."

"That was ages ago." Bella looped a lock of her hair behind her ear as she stood up. Jacob and Seth had tided away the huge whiteboard after the startling revelations about Alice. "Why do you let them get under your skin?"

"Because they keep threatening to sue." Charlie had his hands on his hips now. "Well they did until Tori put a stop to it. I don't know what she said to them but they've suddenly done an about turn and issued a formal apology."

"You've seen Tori again." Bella was alarmed. Jacob stood up to join her and put a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Not for long. She was there one minute and gone the next." Charlie threw himself into his recliner feeling frustrated again. The chair groaned in protest.

"What did Tori want?" Jacob asked.

Charlie sat forward in the recliner. His frustration died away to be replaced with worry. "Sit down, kids." He said to Jake and Bella.

"Okay." Bella whispered faintly as she perched on the edge of the sofa again. Jacob sat next to her, slipping his arm across her tense shoulders.

"There is no easy way to say this, Bells. She's seen Edward." Charlie informed her gently.

"Where?" Jacob ground out.

"She didn't say exactly. But she said he got close a couple of times. It's hard to get a straight answer out of her sometimes. But she warned us to be more vigilant." He looked right at Jacob as he said this. He took a deep breath before speaking again. "I think it might be a good idea if you move back in here for a while. It would ease my mind if you were here more often. Your old man, too. I'll talk to Billy but I'm sure he'd agree. Just until this thing with Cullen is sorted."

"Done." Jacob didn't need asking twice. He was upset that that the bloodsucker had gotten so close and was blaming himself. He wished he could talk to Tori and extract more information out of her. He supposed he should at least be grateful for the warning, if nothing else.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	60. Chapter 60

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty**

Bella knelt behind Jacob on the bed, her hands on his shoulders as she tried to work out the knots while he spoke to Sam Uley on his cell. It was a difficult conversation. Sam was kicking off because he felt like he had been blindsided by the news about Edward Cullen's possible return and Victoria's interaction with Charlie. He was incensed that Jacob had gone behind his back and spoke to the red head alone without consulting him first, and that both the Clearwater's knew about it.

"I had to make a judgement call. I didn't have time to consult you." Jacob growled into the phone.

"You had time to rope Leah into your mess. You even got her to lie to me, Jake. She lied and kept it secret this whole time." Sam snarled in response.

Bella's fingers slid under Jacob's shirt and ran over his stomach. His muscles tightened under her hand. She kissed the shell of his ear and let her fingers glide over his heated chest. Anything to distract him from his tense conversation with Sam.

"Lee didn't lie. I only asked her to stay with Bella. I never told her what Tori and I discussed." Jacob tried to keep his tone even, but he was struggling under Sam's interrogation.

"Tori? Who the fuck is Tori?" Sam questioned angrily.

"Victoria."

"Are you joking? You've given our mortal enemy a nickname now. You are..."

Jacob scowled as he cut Sam off mid flow. He flung his cell phone away from him as if it burned his fingers. "Uley can be such an ass." He swore.

"I'm sure he'll calm down eventually." Bella assured him as she pressed a kiss onto the side of his head.

Jacob pulled her around to sit in his lap and kissed her, full on the lips. Heat rushed through Bella's body, racing along every nerve. She sighed into the kiss, wishing that Charlie and Billy were out of the house. It was crowded with them all living together again and meant there were less opportunities to be alone.

"Don't let Sam get under your skin." Bella cradled Jacob's face in her hands and gazed into his smouldering eyes.

"I can't help it. I'm struggling taking orders from him." Jacob admitted.

"That's the Alpha in you." Bella watched Jacob roll his eyes in annoyance. He always shut down any conversation about his destiny, even if she was only teasing him about it, like now. "There could be some truth in it." She pressed, kissing him into silence when he began to protest. "Think about it."

His hands were on her hips. He tugged her closer, his face resting near his. "I don't want to think about it and I don't want the responsibility that comes with it." He told her earnestly. He kissed her, sucking on her lower lip for a second before releasing it with a pop. "I'm just Jacob. You're my Bella. And I love you. I don't want to talk about destiny, fate or whatever. Sam can keep his power trip. I don't want it."

Bella regarded him thoughtfully. He was so much in denial. Without even realising he was doing it, he had already made some important decisions without involving Sam. His actions belied his words, he just wasn't ready to accept it.

* * *

"Damn." Charlie swore under his breath when he opened the official looking letter that had arrived that morning.

"Something wrong, chief?" Billy asked in concern. He pushed his half eaten breakfast away as he watched Charlie sink into the chair opposite him.

"It's about Renee's estate. Or rather lack of." Charlie rubbed a hand over his face as he scanned the contents again. "She was in debt for over $30,000 dollars."

"Hell." Billy shook his head in disbelief. The ghost of his friend's ex-wife continued to haunt him.

"And now her creditors are chasing me, or rather Bells as her next of kin, for the money." Charlie was itching for a beer to drown his sorrows. This would totally wipe out what little savings he had left, and also meant that he couldn't help Bella with her college fund. She had already decided to take a year out to explore her options but had been hoping to go at some point. Now this put that idea in jeopardy. "God, I want a drink so badly, Billy." Charlie admitted to his friend.

"You can't." Billy reminded him. His face was etched with sympathy. He knew how hard Charlie had worked over the years to stash money away for his only child's future. It was a low blow that even in death Renee was still stealing from him. "There has to be a way around this."

"There isn't. I don't have the energy or the money to fight this. I'll lose either way. The longer I withhold paying it off, the higher the debt rises." Charlie crushed the letter in his fist and threw it in the trash. His eyes met Billy's. "You can't tell Bells about this."

Billy was about to tell Charlie that secrets always had a way of coming back to bite you on the ass, when he realised this would make him a hypocrite of the worst kind. "I promise I won't tell her." He sighed in defeat.

* * *

Bella was looking for a job. She sat on her bed, her legs curled underneath her with her laptop in front of her. There were very few options open to her in a small town like Forks. Port Angeles provided more opportunities, but Bella doubted her beloved truck could make the journey day in day out. It was hard to admit but she needed a more reliable ride. She didn't want to ask Charlie for money, but it meant she would have to dip into her own savings. It hurt thinking about the money that she had originally given to her mother and which Tori had returned. It felt wrong to touch it.

A light tap on her bedroom door brought her out of her reverie. "Hey, it's only me." Leah walked in without waiting for an answer and threw herself familiarly on the bed next to Bella. She was a frequent visitor now. The two girls had become friends of sorts. Something that each of them would have laughed at a year ago. "I'm on Bella watch."

"I hate that term." Bella complained. She hated the fact that she was once again forcing the pack to disrupt their lives in order to protect her. When Jacob wasn't with her, it was usually one of the Clearwater siblings. Occasionally it was one of the others. Paul was the one who complained the most. But Bella had found a way around that by keeping his potty mouth occupied by feeding him exorbitant meals.

"Lost your sense of humour again I see." Leah rolled onto her back and propped herself up on her elbows. Her movements were so fluid and graceful that Bella could only stare at her in envy. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a job."

"A job? Now you have to be joking." Leah didn't hide her sarcasm. "And how are we supposed to keep an eye on you when you swan off to this so called job, huh."

"I didn't think of that." Bella was crestfallen. "I worked before at Newtons."

"But that was close to home. Newtons is surrounded by forest. It was easy for us to hide there and keep watch. If you head further afield it will make it nigh on impossible. Unless you can get a part time job waitressing at the local diner you're stuck, girlfriend."

Bella gasped at Leah's throw away comment. Her brown eyes lit up with excitement. "That's it." She exclaimed.

"What's it?" Leah asked dubiously.

"The diner. I'm sure Cora can squeeze me onto the rota. I'll ask Billy to ask her."

"You can't even cross the floor without tripping over your own feet. How will you manage a whole shift without dropping the food all over the customers?" Leah pointed out sardonically.

Bella's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you see me dropping food all over you and the rest of the pack when I'm serving you my gourmet meals?" She hissed.

Leah snorted with laughter. "Touché." She conceded. "A waitress it is then."

* * *

Jacob walked away seething after yet another clash with Sam. He was finding it increasingly difficult following Uley's orders. They had exchanged harsh words before parting to cool off. Before heading back to Forks to the Swan's, he stopped at his house, or rather his old garage. In reality it was two metal sheds bolted together but it was his kingdom, his sanctuary or Taj Mahal as he and Bella had christened it once upon a time. He walked inside, switching on the overhead light. It flooded the interior, highlighting the neglect inside. Jacob swallowed thickly. It had been ages since he had time to spend here, working on his latest project. The air was musty and the wildlife had crept in through the gaps.

He opened the doors to air the place before methodically beginning to clear up as much as he could. After an hour Jacob had the garage in some sort of order again. He was sorting through his tools now, mentally calculating their worth as he did so. It didn't amount to much. They had been second hand when he originally purchased them. He had boxes piled up in once corner filled to the brim with parts of varying sizes and shape. Like Bella, Jacob was thinking about the future. He was chaffing at the bit to earn his own money. He was tired of living on hand outs. He felt like he was falling further and further behind. If he wanted to make a life with Bella he had to start preparing for it now. Getting a regular job was impossible. Not with the life he led now. No employer would put up with him disappearing at all hours. Sam survived by finding work where he could, but it was a hand to mouth existence. Emily did a few cleaning jobs, but she hated going beyond the reservations boundaries, too sensitive about her scars to venture any further where no one knew her.

Jacob wandered around his garage with his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He thought about the many hours he and Bella had spent here working on the bikes. They were propped up in the corner, a piece of tarpaulin covering them. He hadn't touched them since he had confessed to Charlie that he and Bella had been riding them, all in a vain attempt to get the police chief to ground Bella so she wouldn't have so much time to spend with the leech. Jeez, he had been such an idiot. It had been a kneejerk reaction because he was so upset at losing her to Cullen after everything they had been through together in his absence. He remembered Bella telling him that she would always choose Edward over him, every time. How things had changed.

Jacob pulled the tarpaulin off the bikes. The plastic covering had kept them clean. They weren't coated in layers of dust like the rest of the stuff in the garage. He studied the bikes thoughtfully before sitting astride the black one and kick starting it. It took a few tries but eventually the bike roared to life. Jacob smiled to himself as old memories resurfaced of him and Bella riding the bikes along the dirt tracks surrounding La Push. On her first try she had fallen off the red bike, hitting her head on a rock. She had a cut on her forehead and was probably a little concussed when she declared he was _sort of beautiful._ He had been such an ass as he whipped off his t-shirt to dab at the cut on her forehead. He had done it deliberately in an attempt to impress her and show off his newly formed muscles. He had been so proud of his new physique, not having any idea back then why he had grown a foot overnight.

More memories piled in his head. These not so pleasant. He thought about his first phase, how he felt his life was over, and how upset he had been when Sam ordered him not to see Bella anymore. Jacob tried to banish these melancholic thoughts from his mind. He didn't want to dwell on that part of his past. An idea for the future was forming in his mind. If he sold the bikes, he would have some working capital to buy something else, maybe a car that needed fixing up. He could then sell that car on, making some profit and then invest his money in a more expensive vehicle and so on. He was a good mechanic. He was self taught, but Jacob knew he had a gift. He just needed to make use of it. Feeling happier than he had when he arrived now he had a plan, he decided to take the bike out for one last spin for old time's sake.

* * *

Jacob leaned low over the handlebars, grinning. The wind was in his hair and the thrill that coursed through him as he enjoyed the freedom of the open road couldn't be described. He checked the road again as he turned into a curve. He knew the route so well; the familiar twists and turns, the inclines, the area where water pooled. As he came out of the bend, he laughed joyously, feeling wild and free. When he focused his gaze again his laughter died. Someone came running out of the trees on the side of the road. Jacob felt his heart stop as he braked, swerving as he tried to avoid hitting them. Recent rainfall made the road slick and wet. The tires locked on the bike, it skidded uncontrollably and Jacob couldn't stop it. He raised his eyes to the road one last time, searching for the person who had recklessly run into his path. His dark eyes met those of Edward Cullen's, who stood in the centre of the road, watching.

Jacob braced himself. His bike smashed into a tree on the opposite side of the road. He cracked his skull on impact and blacked out completely. When he came to again his head was banging. His shoulder was hurting like a bitch. He grimaced, slowly opening his eyes to find Tori standing over him.

"Hold still." She said coolly. Before he could stop her she was gripping his bad shoulder with one hand and his arm with the other, she forced the bone back into the socket.

Jacob growled angrily, but it had stopped the worst of the pain. "Fuck." He swore, gripping his shoulder, wincing.

"You're welcome by the way." Tori said as she backed away from him.

"What the hell happened? How did you find me?" Jacob asked hoarsely.

"I didn't find you. I was chasing him." Tori spat angrily. "It's taken me days to flush him out. And I nearly had him until you got in the way." Her golden brown eyes sparked with anger.

Jacob rose to his feet with difficulty. His skin was burning as his natural healing ability kicked in and started to repair the damage. He was about to question the red head further when her head snapped around as a car came speeding down the road. She frowned, before vanishing back into the trees before he had a chance to stop her.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	61. Chapter 61

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all character and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty One**

Bella was distraught when she found out what had happened to Jacob. "Oh, Jake." Bella sighed, relieved. She touched his face, reassuring herself that he was real and wasn't secretly nursing some catastrophic injury. Without thinking she kissed him. His lips were warm and soft against hers. Jacob wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Thank god you're okay."

"I'm fine." Jacob said against her lips. He kissed her again, happy to have her in his arms. "I've got a hard head."

"Don't joke about it, Jake." Bella rested securely in his arms as she tried to process what he had told her. Edward was definitely back. Jacob had seen proof with his own eyes. Bella couldn't believe that he had stood in the middle of the road, watching as Jacob's bike veered out of control and hit a tree. She was shocked that he hadn't offered to help. It didn't sound like the Edward she knew and had once loved. But then there were so many things that were not as she had thought. "I can't believe it was Tori who came to your rescue."

"She was pissed off that I'd gotten in the way. She was close to catching him." Jacob ran his fingers through Bella's luxuriant hair as she nestled against him.

"I just want it to be over." Bella closed her eyes in defeat.

"I wish I knew where he's been hiding this whole time. We haven't come across anything on our patrols and we've ventured further afield." Jacob cradled the back of her head gently. "It's gonna be okay. I promise."

The front door opened then as Billy arrived back at the house with Cora. "We're back." He called out.

Jacob and Bella reluctantly pulled apart. She put her game face on, hiding her despair as she greeted Cora with a smile. "It's good to see you again."

"You, too." Cora smiled at Billy affectionately when he took her hand. "Billy told me you were looking for a job."

"Yes." Bella had forgotten about that.

"Job?" Jacob looked at Bella curiously, wondering why she hadn't mentioned any of this to him.

"It was just an idea." Bella put her hand on his arm as she returned her attention to Cora. "If there is nothing available I understand."

"One of my regulars has phoned in sick for tonight." Cora revealed. "Do you fancy taking her shift and show me what you can do? If it works out I'm sure I can rota you in for some more."

"Tonight!" Bella exclaimed. This was all happening so fast. She was nervous but didn't want to pass up an opportunity for some paid work. "You're on. Thanks, Cora. I really appreciate it."

"You are more than welcome." Cora beamed as Billy squeezed her hand in gratitude.

* * *

Bella stayed in the kitchen while Cora and Billy spent time together in the lounge watching an old movie. She didn't want to intrude on their date. Jacob had left to update Sam on the latest turn of events, which meant that Bella was left alone to brood about the situation with Edward. She was still struggling to reconcile with what had happened. The Edward she knew would have gone to Jacob's rescue, despite being chased by Tori. He may see Jacob as his rival but the guy she knew wouldn't have let ill feelings get in the way. There had to be another reason why he hesitated. She was worried about Jacob. She knew she hurt him considerably when she continued to defend Edward or his family, even after everything they had done. In this instance she was struggling to find a good reason to explain Edward's actions.

While she tried to sort through her tangled thoughts, she cooked. Paul and Jared were outside keeping watch according to Jacob. He had urged Sam to put the strongest wolves on Bella watch now that a confirmed sighting of Edward had been seen. Bella whipped up a vegetable lasagne. It was common practice for the wolves on guard to venture into the house half way through their shift to fill their stomachs. Right on cue there was a light tap on the back door announcing Paul and Jared's arrival. Bella wondered how they knew when the food was ready. Some kind of sixth sense she supposed.

"That smells awesome, Bella." Jared praised her as he rubbed his hands together.

"Thanks." Bella smiled at him, giving Jared an extra portion for his efforts.

Paul scowled as he compared the two helpings. "Why does he get more?"

"He has manners." Bella had learned the best way to deal with Paul was to be as snarky as he was.

"She's got you there, dude." Jared said with his mouth full. He laughed at Lahote's disgruntled expression.

"I should have known you would play favouri...umpf." Paul choked as Bella stuffed a roll into his mouth to shut him up. Jared burst out laughing again, while Paul pulled the roll out of his mouth and grinned like a tool.

* * *

Jacob still wasn't back from his meeting with Sam by the time her first shift started at the diner. She didn't know whether this was a good sign or not. She was disappointed, she was feeling apprehensive as it was. Billy wished her luck as she left the house with Cora.

"Don't look so worried." Cora tried to ease her nerves. "We get a good crowd in here most nights. I am sure you'll be fine."

"Thanks." Bella had butterflies raging in her stomach. She had gotten exactly what she had wanted. A job at the diner. But the situation with Edward had ruined it. She was finding it difficult to concentrate.

When they reached the diner Cora picked out a spare uniform for Bella. "Come on I'll show you the ropes." Eager to show off her knowledge Cora gave Bella a quick tour of the premises before running through the specials with her. She introduced Bella to the kitchen staff and other waitresses and before Bella knew it her first shift was underway.

* * *

An hour in and Bella had already given two people the wrong change, messed up an order and dropped water over one unfortunate customers lap. She felt so embarrassed as she dabbed down the unfortunate victim. Luckily he was amused and didn't complain. Bella felt like such an idiot. She was so stressed that she was struggling to focus. At this rate Cora would probably tell her to leave before she had completed one shift.

"Why don't you go and have a break?" Cora suggested after a couple of hours.

"Thanks." Feeling low, Bella snuck out the back to get some fresh air. She knew Cora was cutting her more slack than the others because she was dating Billy. Leah was right to question her ability to walk across a flat surface without causing chaos.

The night air was cool on her feverish skin as she leaned against the wall and breathed in deeply. She rubbed her aching temples, wishing she could relax enough to make a better impression. So far it had been a disaster. Bella wondered how long it would be before Cora ran out of patience completely. Suddenly she felt her cell buzz in the back pocket of her jeans. She pulled it out, assuming it was a message from Jake or her dad.

It wasn't.

 _"Please call this number. It's urgent."_

Bella's brow furrowed as she stared at the message which had come from an unknown source. A prickling feeling of dread made the hairs on the back of her neck rise. It couldn't be coincidence that Edward had been seen and now she was being contacted by a an unknown number.

Her cell buzzed again.

 _"Please call. Urgent."_

Bella didn't know what to do. She knew that some of the pack were out there somewhere keeping watch. They would know if Edward or someone else was hovering nearby. He must be staying just out of their range. He would know exactly where they were as he would be able to read their minds.

Another message came through.

 _"Bella, please call."_

Bella felt her fingers tingle. Her cell was shaking in her hand. Eventually she pulled up a number and dialled. Her phone only rang twice before it was answered. "Hey, honey, you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't make it back before you left for your first shift. I've been..."

Bella felt relief flood through her soul when she heard Jacob's voice. "I've had some weird messages coming through on my phone." She interrupted him. "They all say the same thing. They want me to call an unknown number urgently."

"It has to be him." Jacob growled. "Embry and Quil are nearby. I'll phase now and warn them. Make sure you stay inside and around other people. I'm on my way."

"Okay." Bella said in a small voice as she dashed inside with the phone clutched tight in her fist.

* * *

Quil and Embry made quite a show when they waltzed into the diner in nothing but cut off sweats and sporting stern expressions. Bella felt a flood of relief wash through her when she saw them. Everyone was staring at them curiously, many of them in admiration. Bella hurried over to them and showed them to an empty booth. Embry slipped in first, followed by Quil.

"Pretend to take our orders." Embry advised Bella. She was shaking like a leaf and attracting even more odd glances from the other patrons.

"Can I have your phone, Bella?" Quil asked, holding out his hand.

Bella passed it to him discreetly while pretending to take a fake order. Quil pulled up the messages and studied them. He frowned, exchanging a glance with Embry. "What a freak." He muttered. While Bella watched he sent a reply, demanding to know who had sent the message. They all waited for a few minutes but there was no response. "He must have seen us come in." Quil didn't hide his frustration.

"There was no sign of him out there." Embry mused.

Quil shook his head in disbelief as he passed Bella's cell back to her. "He was probably testing the waters to see if you actually responded."

"Maybe I should speak to him." Bella whispered to them. "If I spoke to him directly I may be able to find out what he wants."

"That would be you." Embry reminded her. "I know you want to help, but contacting him will make things worse." He smiled to take the sting out of his words. "Don't worry, Bella. We've got this."

"And now we're here I might put in a real order." Quil grinned, showing all his teeth.

"This one is on me." Bella couldn't help but smile back. They were doing their best to comfort her. "Order whatever you like."

"You might regret that offer." Quil chuckled as he grabbed the menu and began to scan the contents.

* * *

Jacob woke as the first light filtered through the window. The sun was trying to poke its head out from under the continual cloud cover. Bella still slept, her peaceful breathing marking a steady beat. He rested beside her, his fingers played with a lock of her hair. He was upset that she was so stressed. He wanted to take the pressure away from her, to give her the peace that they were both craving.

"Jake..." She whispered. Perhaps her sleep wasn't as sound as he had originally thought. She shifted in his arms, pressing against him and mumbling something incomprehensible. She then mumbled his name again and turned to face him.

"Hey, beautiful." Jacob greeted her with a kiss as she finally opened her eyes.

"The only good thing about it is waking up to you beside me." Bella rose up onto her elbow and gazed at him anxiously. "I've got another shift at the diner today. The lunch one. Cora said it can get quite busy. I'm surprised she's giving me another chance after I messed up so badly yesterday."

"It was your first shift. You heard Cora, it happens to the best. Today will be better." Jacob assured her.

"I wish I could be as optimistic as you." Bella sighed.

"I'll be optimistic for both of us." Jacob kissed the tip of her nose playfully.

Bella laughed despite her glum mood. "I suppose I should jump in the shower before the olds get up."

"If Charlie wasn't in the room next door I'd join you." Jacob teased her.

"Am I not worth the risk?" Bella purred as she climbed out of bed and stood provocatively in front of him.

"You are wicked, Bells." Jacob groaned as he made an attempt to grab and pull her back into the bed.

Bella avoided his grasp and laughed at the disappointed expression on his face as she fled the room.

* * *

While Jacob was doing his best not think of Bella in the bathroom having a shower, he heard her cell go off. He frowned, reaching for it where it rested on the bedside table. The same message as before flashed up.

 _"Please call me. It's urgent."_

A lick of anger ran up Jacob's spine as he glared at the message. "I'll call you alright, bloodsucker." Without stopping to think he dialled the unknown number.

The call was answered right away. "Bella, at last."

But it wasn't Edward Cullen. The voice belonged to a female.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	62. Chapter 62

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Two**

"Bella...Bella..." The female said again.

Jacob hesitated before responding. He had been expecting Edward Cullen and hearing the feminine voice had thrown him. He wished he had time to think, to consider his next move. But there was no time. He either hung up the phone or talked to the person on the other end.

"Please, Bella, talk to me. It's important that you do. I know you must be angry, thinking that we had abandoned you again. But that's not what happened. We had to go away and regroup. Bella...Bella..."

"Bella isn't here." Jacob finally spoke. He was having difficulty hiding the anger in his tone. "What do you want _...Alice Cullen_?" He spat her name like it was a curse.

There was a long pause before Alice answered. "Why do you have Bella's phone? I need to speak to her urgently."

"No." Jacob said shortly.

"Why not? You can't control what she does, Jacob Black. Or who she speaks to."

"Unlike you and your coven."

"We never controlled Bella. All we did was try our best to protect her and keep her safe." Alice protested hotly.

"You were the ones constantly putting her in danger." Jacob's voice rose as he lost his temper. He breathed deeply, trying to rein it in again. The last thing he wanted to do was wake up the police chief next door.

"You only see the things that you want to see." Alice replied coolly. "Bella is a danger magnet. If we were overprotective of her it was because she attracted trouble."

"Get to the point. What do you want from Bella?" Jacob demanded.

"To warn her about Victoria of course." Alice's tone was scathing. "We have it on good authority that she is in the area again. Edward has crossed paths with her twice already. He is doing his best to track her but she has a gift for evasion. Unfortunately your presence in Bella's life makes it impossible for me to predict when or if she will come into contact with Victoria again. It is frustrating..."

"You really expect me to believe that Tori is the one endangering Bella." Jacob growled.

"What did you call her? Have you been in contact with her again since the party? I know that she used Bella's father to gain access to our house." Alice said suspiciously. "Has she been trying to inveigle her way into your lives again? You cannot trust her. Whatever she says or does Victoria is a wicked liar. She has been very clever concealing her true intentions from me. Edward has struggled to get a true reading of her thoughts on the two occasions he has crossed paths with her. She is wily."

Jacob was gripping Bella's cell so tightly in his fist that he was in danger of breaking it. "That's ironic seeing as Edward was the one who caused me to crash my bike and just stood in the middle of the road watching me knock myself unconscious, but it was Tori who stopped and helped pop my shoulder back in place."

"Oh my, she has played you well." Alice said in disgust. "This was my biggest fear and the reason why I am so desperate to speak to Bella. Victoria has fooled you. She works her way in, gets you to trust her, let down your guard and she strikes."

"I think you're describing yourself." Jacob threw back at her. "I never let my guard down. And I'm not doing it now. You are playing some sick, twisted game of your own. You have put Bella's life at risk on countless occasions and she's beginning to see it now..."

"I have never purposefully endangered Bella's life. She is like a sister to me." Alice was appalled.

"You took her to Italy." Jacob snapped. "You took her right into the heart of vampire territory."

"Bella knew the risks..."

"You are unbelievable." Jacob's jaw pulsed as fine tremors ran down his arms. He wished he could reach through the phone, grab Alice and crush the evil little pixie like a bug. He couldn't believe she had the audacity to argue about the facts. "You told Bella to go into Volterra alone knowing full well what could happen."

"I couldn't see the outcome." Alice denied. "I couldn't go in myself because I would have been seen, but most of all Edward would have been able to read my mind. Even if he had seen Bella in my thoughts he was so convinced she was dead, that he wouldn't have believed that she was still alive. He had to see her with his own two eyes. What happened afterwards was unfortunate."

"That's just a weak excuse. I know what happened at the eighteenth birthday party you threw for her. I know about the baseball game which you happened to endorse by saying the weather was perfect for it and where she crossed paths with James. I know about Italy. I know that she was under your so called protection when she managed to escape you and James ambushed her. I could go on and on, but you see the pattern here..."

"Jake?" Bella was standing in the doorway to her room, wrapped in a towel. Her wet hair was dripping around her shoulders. He had been so busy shouting at Alice Cullen he had failed to hear her coming in. "What's going on?"

"Is that Bella? I want to speak to her." Alice buzzed in his eat like an annoying gnat.

Jacob gazed at Bella guiltily. She looked so vulnerable. He wished he hadn't lost his cool with the little psychic, but Alice had gotten under his skin and brought out the worst in him. Jacob put his hand over the mouthpiece. "It was Alice Cullen sending you the messages." He said thickly.

"Did you contact her?" Bella asked stiffly.

"Yes." Jacob didn't deny it. He met her eyes gravely. "She sent another message while you were in the shower. I thought it was Cullen." He swallowed, letting the cell drop onto the bed. "I was angry and saw red."

Bella approached the bed and perched on the edge of it. "It was a decision we should have made together." She said quietly.

"I know." Jacob apologised gruffly. "I screwed up."

A fleeting smile crossed Bella's face as she reached out and touched his cheek with gentle fingers. "I can relate." She murmured. Her expression turned serious again as she gazed at her cell. They could both hear the tinny sound of Alice calling Bella's name. The little psychic had clearly heard her in the background.

Slowly, keeping her gaze level with Jacob's, Bella picked up her cell and put it on loudspeaker. "Alice, you wanted to speak to me."

"Finally." Alice complained. "I need to talk to you in private."

"You can talk to me now." Bella was surprised that she was so calm. It was like she was standing outside her own body, looking in.

"You cannot trust Victoria."

Bella hesitated a beat as she continued to stare into Jacob's expressive dark eyes. "And why should I trust you?" She asked.

Alice emitted a pained gasp. "Are you really asking me that? I'm your friend, Bella. You're family. We're like sisters. You know me."

"I thought I did." Bella continued softly. "But some of the things you've done have made me question your intentions."

"This is the dog speaking. He wants you to doubt us." Alice cried.

"Not us... _you_." Bella breathed the last word. "You and I were the only two to escape James, except you were already changed...and I...and I..." She stopped, exhaling deeply.

There was a long silence. Bella wondered if Alice had gone. Jacob had found another towel was buffing her sopping wet hair dry. Bella made as if to hang up but Alice spoke again. "If you are insinuating that escaping James is what unites us, then it is true. But know this. I love you, Bella. You are a part of me even more so than Jasper." She said in a hollow voice. "I see things-things that might happen, things that are coming. But it's very subjective. The future isn't set in stone. Things change." She paused again, her voice quietening to a murmur. "I have my limitations-I can only see the outcome of someone's decision once it is made, meaning the future can change all too quickly. I can see several possible futures at the same time..."

Bella reached out for Jacob's hand and clasped their fingers together. "But you can't see me now. Not with Jake beside me." She said with certainty. "You can't see past the wolves. You said so yourself."

There was another long drawn out pause. "That's not quite true though, Bella. You are not always surrounded by the wolves every second of the day. I catch glimpses, as recently as yesterday. Even now when you seem so convinced that you are committed to the wolf boy I have seen otherwise."

Bella's tormented gaze darted to Jacob's. "That's not true." She mouthed silently.

Jacob leaned close and pressed a soft kiss on the shell of her ear. "I know." He whispered, his warm breath silky on her skin.

Alice sighed softly. "I've seen you with a child, Bella. Your daughter. And she is not his." Her last words were said with an air of finality before she hung up.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	63. Chapter 63

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Three**

Bella walked into work in a numbed state. She was reeling from the shock of what Alice had said. Edward's sibling had to be lying. It couldn't be true. Alice was trying to shake the foundation of their relationship, but then again if it was so solid why had it been so easily fractured by that one statement. She hadn't had a chance to talk to Jacob about the phone call. Charlie had come blundering into her room at that point, demanding that they keep the noise down because he was trying to sleep. It had shut down the important conversation they needed to have, instead they had withdrawn to their own corners, each of them nursing their own hurts like some infected wound that wouldn't heal.

"Are you okay, Bella?" Cora asked in concern when Bella once again delivered the entrees to the wrong table. "You don't look so good. Perhaps you shouldn't have come in today."

"I'm fine." Bella lied badly. Cora looked disbelieving. "I promise I'm okay. I'm sorry about this. I just got a bit flustered. I'll do better."

Cora sighed. "Maybe this isn't the right job for you." She said warily. "Waitressing isn't for everyone."

"I've got this." Bella was desperate. She didn't want to lose her tenuous hold on her job after everything that had happened. It was the one thing she had to hold on to right now. "Please, just give me another chance. I'll do better."

"Okay." Cora agreed reluctantly. "Just try and concentrate."

"I will." Bella promised as she dashed back into the kitchen to get the right order.

* * *

Bella had a raging headache by the end of her shift. It was with great relief that she clocked off. She had made another couple of mistakes, but nothing too big. Cora had assured her she was improving and she offered her another shift for the next day. Bella walked the short distance back to her house. Charlie's cruiser wasn't in the driveway which meant he had gone to work. Jacob had taken Billy to the hospital for his follow up appointment so she had the house to herself. It did mean though that their much needed conversation was delayed again, which only gave her more time to brood. She flung her house keys on the hall table and went into the kitchen. The blinds were drawn, which made the room feel stuffy. Charlie always forgot to open them. She reached out and grabbed the drawstring to haul them up and nearly got the shock her life when she saw someone standing on the other side of the window.

It was Seth.

* * *

"You nearly gave me a heart attack." Bella chided him as he came inside the kitchen and gave her a sheepish smile. He had a paintbrush in his hand and had paint splatter on his face and clothes. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, I kinda popped in for some breakfast." Seth blushed when he realised how that sounded. "Um...not that I was expecting breakfast. It's just that you always make...but I was late...and...I ...um...so yeah."

"I had an early shift at the diner this morning. I did leave some stuff out for you though." Bella looked around the kitchen. "I think Jake might have eaten your portion before he left with Billy. He always eats for comfort when he's upset."

"Why is Jake upset?" Seth asked innocently.

"Oh..no reason." Bella shook her head to clear it. She clocked the paintbrush that Seth was waving around in his hand. "Why do you have a paintbrush?"

"Oh...yeah." Seth gave her another embarrassed smile. "Um...I was on Bella watch like I said, but I got here late and you'd already left when I popped in for breakfast. Unfortunately Charlie saw me sneaking around and wanted to know what I was doing lurking around the back of the house. I had to make up a story...so I kinda told him that mom had sent me over here to do some yard work, and he totally didn't believe me, but said I could still make myself useful by touching up the paintwork on the back of the house in order to keep me out of trouble." He babbled.

"That sounds like dad." Bella muttered. "Anything to save money."

"I don't mind." Seth scratched at a fleck of paint on his nose. "It keeps me awake while I'm on Bella watch."

The young shifter was just too adorable for words. Bella wanted to squeeze the apple of his cheeks and ruffle his hair. But she resisted the urge, knowing that it would mortify him. Seth was desperate to prove he was all grown up and mature. "Do you need some help?" She offered instead. Painting would be a good distraction.

A faint blush coated Seth's tan skin. "Really? Just you and me. I mean me and you. Um...us." He was stumbling over his words as he tried to hide his crush.

"Well there's no one else here, so..." Bella hid an amused smile as she watched Seth's cheeks redden further. "You carry on, Seth. I just need to get changed into some old clothes. I'll be out soon to help you."

"Great. Awesome. Amazing." Seth said enthusiastically. "See you in five...not that I'm rushing you. I mean take as long as you want to get ready. I'm good. I..."

"Seth, I'll see you in five." Bella interrupted him with a warm smile.

* * *

Jacob and Billy were in the hospital waiting to be seen by the consultant. Jacob couldn't sit still. His knee was bouncing up and down agitatedly. "Jake, calm down." Billy whispered to him.

"I'm fine." Jacob muttered. "What the hell is taking so long? We've been here for ages."

"It's been half an hour, actually." Billy pointed out. He had been battling Jacob's dark mood since they had left the house that morning. He had noticed the tense atmosphere at breakfast between Jacob and Bella. Though Charlie had been oblivious. Billy knew the police chief had a lot on his mind.

"Feels longer than that." Jacob complained as his knee began to bounce again. He ran his fingers through his tousled hair restlessly.

"Alright out with it." Billy ordered. He couldn't keep silent anymore. Not when his son seemed so affected. "Have you and Bella had a row? Cos you seemed loved up last night before you went to her room. And now today you're like a bear with a sore head and snapping at everyone."

"You don't understand." Jacob looked away from his father's probing gaze and sighed.

"I might if you tell me." Billy pleaded. "Come on, son. You used to be able to confide in me. I know things have been a bit rocky between us recently, but I thought it was getting better."

"It is better." Jacob leaned forward, resting his hands on his upper thighs. He was so wound up that he was desperate to flee the hospital's confines and run off his unhappiness.

"Then tell me." Billy offered again. "Even if I can't come up with a solution to your problem, I can be a good sounding board. It always helps to get things off your chest, son."

Jacob looked at his father in defeat. "Bella and I didn't argue...not really. In fact we didn't even get a chance to talk."

"About what?"

Jacob felt his throat tighten. With difficulty he explained to Billy in a low voice about the phone call from Alice Cullen and her parting comment just before she ended the call. "I could see Bella withdrawing from me as soon the pixie hung up on us. I know that Alice Cullen was spinning us a load of bullshit. But it was like I could see the thought bubble over Bella's head..."

"Imprinting." Billy emitted a deep sigh. "The reason she thinks that Alice Cullen saw her with a child that wasn't yours is because she thinks that you probably left her because you imprinted on someone just like Sam did with Emily."

"Bells always said that imprinting didn't matter to her. She took me at my word that I knew that it would never happen to me. Even when Lee brought it up months ago at the bonfire party, Bells stood up to her and told her that she wasn't worried about it. But then today I saw her face when the little pixie told her about that damn vision...and..." Jacob put his head in his hands in despair. "It's brought up all her insecurities and mine. Everything is such a mess right now."

"Hey, this is nothing that can't be fixed." Billy patted Jacob's shoulder in comfort.

"How can it be fixed? I can swear until I'm blue in the face that it won't happen, and she'll probably put a brave face on and pretend to believe me, but in the back of her mind there will always be that niggling worry."

"Do you know why the chief and I get on so well?" Billy seemed to change the subject entirely.

"What?" Jacob raised his head again and looked at his father in confusion. "What has that got to do with me and Bells?"

"A lot." Billy gripped Jacob's shoulder and squeezed. "The biggest thing the chief and I have in common is we're both stubborn asses. And you and Bella inherited it from us. But in this case it's a good thing."

"I'm not stubborn." Jacob protested.

"You are, Jake. You're stubborn. You get a fixed idea in that head of yours and once it takes root nothing can remove it. The same with Bella when she refused to give up on you when you first turned wolf. What I'm trying to say is that I know for a fact that you are too stubborn to imprint. You chose Bella a long time ago and that was it. Nothing I or anyone else could say would change your mind. Bella was the one. Even if it broke your heart to pursue her, you were never gonna give up." Billy smiled to himself as he settled back in his chair. "And now look, your stubborn determination paid off. You got the girl, despite me, despite Sam, despite your wolf, everything. Voila, I rest my case"

Jacob opened his mouth and closed it again when he couldn't find a way to refute his dad's bizarre conclusion. It wasn't logical but in a weird way it made sense. He was stubborn. He knew his own heart, his own mind. He didn't need any spiritual guidance to tell him that Bella was the one. He knew it, had known it his whole life. Alice Cullen was blowing smoke out of her chilly ass if she expected him to believe her bullshit lies. Feeling much better he relaxed, certain now that all he had to do was tell Bella the same thing to put her mind at rest.

* * *

Bella giggled as a dollop of paint fell onto her bare feet. She clumsily raised her brush and dipped it into the paint pot again. Seth grinned at her like an eager puppy. Bella had paint in her hair, on her brow and all over her clothes. She may be a whizz in the kitchen, but painting was definitely not her forte. Her side of the house was a mess. She had missed several spots while Seth's side was all smooth and even. He had been enjoying himself immensely, they had teased each other constantly, even having a play fight at one stage, hence the paint in her hair.

"This has been fun." Seth declared when they stopped for a rest.

"Yeah, it kinda has." Bella smiled at him gratefully as she presented him with a plate piled high with chocolate chip cookies. "Your favourite." She said with a playful glint in her brown eyes.

"Thanks, Bella. You are the best." Seth's voice was muffled as he stuffed three cookies in his mouth at once and chewed.

"No, thank you." Bella said fondly as she settled down on the porch swing. It creaked when Seth sat down beside her, his cheeks puffed out as he munched on several cookies at once. "I really needed this."

"Is everything okay?" Seth paused in his eating to look at her.

"I don't know." Bella sighed, suddenly feeling melancholy again as she stared at the waving trees in the distance. The wind lifted her hair off her hot neck and she turned her head to the side to glance at Seth. "Can I ask you something?"

"Okay." Seth reluctantly put his plate of cookies to one side so he could focus on Bella properly. She seemed so serious.

"What do you think about imprinting?" Bella said quietly.

"I try not to think about it." Seth shrugged. "It really hurt Lee. I hated seeing how much she got hurt because of it."

"Seth, I'm sorry I brought that up. It was selfish of me." Bella took his hand and squeezed it before letting go.

"You don't need to apologise. It's okay. Lee is doing better. And a lot of that is because of you." Seth beamed at her. Tears pricked at Bella's eyes. He was such a sweetheart. So innocent and pure. She hoped that would always be a part of him.

"And you don't need to worry about Jake, Bella." Seth continued earnestly. "Honestly he thinks about you more than Sam and Jared do with their imprints. It can be so annoying at times. _Its Bella, Bella, Bella. Bella said this, Bella said that, I wonder what Bella will think of this, I hope that Bella..."_ He paused, realising that Bella was laughing at him. "What is so funny?" He questioned in bewilderment.

"You are, Seth Clearwater." Bella declared as she fought the urge to pinch his cheeks but settled for ruffling his paint splattered hair instead.

* * *

Charlie yawned as he walked toward the cruiser. He had spent a long, frustrating day chained to his desk catching up on paperwork. He had also taken some legal advice about Renee's creditors. Because Renee and Phil had divorced, and Phil had no money to settle the debts, the creditors had decided to chance their luck by pursuing him and Bella instead. It was a typical tactic, pursue the grieving relatives until they paid up. Companies like that sickened Charlie, they were worse than the petty criminals he came across daily in his job. He was jangling his keys in his hand when he stopped short. Tori was leaning against his cruiser, smiling enigmatically. The fading light caught her hair and set it ablaze, just like Charlie's heart which was threatening to beat out of his chest.

"You came back." He said huskily when he reached her.

"I said I would." Tori spun around, opening the driver's door of the cruiser.

"Did you break in to my car?" Charlie was incredulous.

"Get in." Tori urged him, her smile had faded and her expression turned grave. "I have something to show you."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	64. Chapter 64

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Four**

"Why are we heading to Seattle again?" Charlie was tense. He had avoided the place since Renee's death. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"I told you I have something to show you." Tori glanced at Charlie's profile and smiled provocatively.

Charlie took his eyes off the road briefly and studied her lovely face. He was still worked up. As the cruiser ate away the miles, the closer he drew to the city, his stress levels increased. "I am tiring of your cryptic answers, Tori. Don't think by smiling at me like that you can manipulate me."

His sharp retort seemed to confuse her. Tori's eyes darkened and she faced forward, staring out into the night. "I was trying to help you." She said coolly. "But maybe I have wasted my time."

"I'm sorry." Charlie tried to relax. He breathed deeply and returned his attention to the road. "I didn't mean to be harsh, but you've got to understand how difficult coming back here is for me, Tori. The last time we were here my wife died."

"Your ex-wife." Tori said sharply.

Charlie frowned, he glanced at her again, perplexed. "Yes my ex wife." He replied slowly. "Renee was the mother of my child. We may have separated but I'm still allowed to grieve for her. Just like you grieved for that..that guy you were involved with." He couldn't say James' name.

"Love is weakness." Tori turned away from him and refused to engage in anymore conversation.

* * *

Jacob dropped Billy off at Cora's before he headed back to the Swan's. He was feeling much better now. His conversation with his father had eased his mind. He was confident that Alice Cullen's so called vision was just a lie she had spun in order to put doubt in their minds about the solidity of their relationship. When he let himself into the house he heard the shower running. There was also the strong smell of paint. Intrigued, Jacob loped up the stairs calling Bella's name.

"Bells, honey, I'm home."

"I'll be right out." Bella yelled back.

Jacob heard the shower cut off and the screen door being pushed aside. He tried not to imagine Bella naked, dripping with water in a steamy bathroom, looking like a goddess. "Control yourself, Black." He muttered under his breath as he hurried into her room and tried to dampen down his raging hormones.

Bella eventually walked into the room wrapped in nothing but a towel. Jacob inhaled deeply when he saw her. It was always the same. She was always so beautiful. Nothing he had ever done, or could do would be enough to deserve her. But despite this she still loved him. It still felt like a miracle that she had chosen him over Edward Cullen and that he could offer her what she needed to be whole again after the bloodsucker nearly broke her. Jacob knew that Edward Cullen wasn't totally gone from their lives. He was still there, lurking around. Sometimes, when he found her sitting in silence, staring at nothing, he guessed she was thinking of Cullen. In those quiet moments he wondered just what was running through her mind. Was it regret tinged with sadness? He would never know.

"Hey." Bella greeted him with a kiss as she sat down beside him on the bed. She nuzzled his ear, smiling when his hand rose to cradle the back of her head. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Jacob said huskily.

"How did your dad's appointment go?" Bella asked him.

"He's doing good." Jacob revealed with a sunny smile. "The consultant was impressed with his progress."

"That's awesome." Bella kissed him again, letting her lips linger on his. "And how are you?"

"I'm good." Jacob pressed his mouth onto hers again, kissing her deeply, eliciting a breathy moan in response. "I'm really, really good." He whispered against her lips. "You?"

"I'm good, too. Better than good." Bella gasped as his warm fingers ran down her bare back and tugged at the towel covering her nakedness.

"You know I'm hot." Jacob's hands caressed her soft skin.

"Boastful, much." Bella smiled archly.

Jacob grinned before his lips made contact with her skin again. "We should really talk."

Bella sighed contentedly as he continue to tease her with his lips and tongue. "I think we're on the same page."

"Me, too." Jacob murmured as his mouth found hers again. "You know I could do with a shower myself."

"Uh huh." Bella's eyes narrowed playfully as she took his hands in hers. "It's lucky I didn't use all the hot water then."

"It sure is." Jacob suddenly swept Bella up in his strong arms, making her squeal in surprise, before he carried her back into the bathroom.

* * *

"Why have you brought me here?" Charlie asked as he parked the cruiser out of sight of any watchful eyes as close to Seattle Children's hospital as he could. He felt his stomach lurch as he turned toward Tori.

"Just wait and see. He won't be long." Tori was sitting as still a statue, her gaze was fixated on the entrance of the grand building. Charlie wondered if she was even breathing.

"Why don't you just tell me who _he_ is?" He demanded.

A sardonic smile crossed Tori's red lips. "I thought you would have worked that out already."

Charlie stared at her for a long moment before he realised who she meant. "Doctor Cullen." He said, aghast. "You're telling me Carlisle Cullen is working here. You told me he was in Denali."

"Not anymore." Tori scowled as her nails bit into the palms of her hands. "I warned you that Edward Cullen was back in the area. I've been tracking his movements as closely as I could. And last night I followed him here where he met up with the leader of his cursed coven."

"Coven?" Charlie rubbed a hand over his face. He was so tired, exhausted after a long shift and an even longer drive to Seattle. Tori said some odd things sometimes. "I take it you mean his family."

"Family." Tori spat angrily. "One he created for himself."

"He's not a god, Tori." Charlie snapped irritably.

"He likes playing god, though." Tori hissed.

Charlie stared at the large hospital and frowned. So many things were not adding up. How had Carlisle managed to find employment in such a prestigious hospital as this one without the facility obtaining references from Forks hospital where he had worked prior to this. The hospital administrators had stated adamantly that they had not heard from Doctor Cullen since the fire at his mansion. In fact many of the staff at the small hospital in Forks were grievously upset at his loss. But now here he was.

Suddenly Tori's cold fingers wrapped around his wrist as she pointed into the darkness. "There he is." She whispered.

Carlisle Cullen's strikingly blonde hair was like a beacon in the dark night. He was holding a briefcase and walking gracefully toward his Mercedes which was parked in a shadowy corner of the hospital parking lot. "His whole family must have relocated here." He murmured.

"I haven't seen them yet." Tori stated coldly. "But I'll find them."

The threatening tone in her voice alarmed Charlie. "Tori, I know you are desperate for answers but you have to stop putting yourself in danger." He said passionately. "Carlisle is cunning. The more I learn about him and his family, the more certain I am that he is up to something shady. I don't know how this is connected to your former lover. But now I know where he is I can bring him in for questioning. For one he's a suspect in the arson attack on his home. He endangered innocent lives that night."

"I didn't bring you here so you could arrest him." Tori's golden brown eyes were on fire as she glared at him.

"That's not up to you. That man out there needs to start explaining his actions." Charlie argued. His expression softened along with his tone as he saw the betrayal on her beautiful face. "I'm a cop not a vigilante. Let me do my job, Tori. You'll get yourself into trouble if you continue seeking revenge alone like this."

"You surprise me every time, Charlie Swan." Tori murmured thoughtfully.

"Stay here." Charlie warned her as opened the cruiser's door.

Tori caught his hand again in a strong grip. "I can't allow you to get out of this car."

"Allow me?" Charlie tried to pull his hand out of hers but struggled. His eyes darted to hers. "Let me go, Tori."

Tori glowered at him. Her fingers tightened briefly as her eyes flashed dangerously. Then suddenly she relaxed her grip and released him. Charlie snatched his hand back, rubbing his chilled fingers with his other hand to infuse some warmth in them. "Wait here." He growled at her before slamming the driver's door closed.

In the distance Charlie saw that Carlisle had reached his car and had opened the door and was about to climb inside. He began to run, his hand straying to his hip where his gun was located. Feeling the cold metal under his fingers gave him courage. Charlie drew closer, doing his best to remain hidden in shadow. He wanted the element of surprise. But to his astonishment Carlisle looked right in his direction as if he could see him clearly. Charlie cursed under his breath. He strode out into the light.

"Stay right where you are, Doctor Cullen." He called out loudly.

Carlisle froze for a few seconds. He watched Charlie approach warily, his rigid stance non threatening. Then quicker than the police chief could react he tried to slide though the opened door of the Mercedes. He was going to run. Charlie muttered more obscenities under his breath as he lunged forward to stop the doctor. But someone got there first. Tori body slammed Carlisle, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Charlie gasped in shock as he watched the two rolling bodies. Tori was kicking and punching Carlisle, who was seemingly holding his arms crossed over his head to stop her battering him.

"Tori, stop." Charlie cried as he reached them. "Stop."

Tori's head shot up. She looked wild, feral. Her red hair tumbled over her shoulders, her golden brown eyes alight with anger. Her nostrils flared as she stared and stared at Charlie. He shook his head at her warningly, indicating that she needed to let Carlisle go. He was doing his best to hide his shock at the ferocity of her attack. How had she gotten past him without him seeing her?

"Let me deal with this." He said again.

Tori's eyes narrowed. "You have no idea what you are dealing with. He's slippery."

"Let the law deal with him. Let _me_ deal with him." Charlie tried to placate her. "It's the best way, the right way. Exposure is what will bring him down."

"Exposure." Tori echoed Charlie as she relaxed her hold on Carlisle. She pressed her knee into his lower back and forced his hands behind his back. "Your biggest fear." She hissed into his ear.

"And yours." Carlisle said so quietly that Charlie struggled to hear. In one swift movement he had thrown Tori off of him and dashed to his Mercedes. He looked pleadingly in the police chief's direction. "None of this is what you think. I promise you I am innocent." He dived into his car and quickly reversed, his tires scrunching on the gravel as he sped off into the night.

 _ **A/N-thank you for reading!**_


	65. Chapter 65

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for all the awesome reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Five**

"Well, Jake, I have cereal or cereal. Nothing else." Bella laughed to herself. When Seth had helped her paint the house he had more or less emptied the cupboards. "I can make you toast. Or soup." She waved a can of vegetable soup in his direction. Jacob pretended to shudder. "Yeah, I know it's better when I make it fresh, but I've got no supplies."

Jacob smiled as he watched her search desperately for something to quell his huge appetite. She was just too cute. "Cereal will be fine, as long as you've got plenty of it."

Bella smiled in relief and placed two boxes of cereal, two bowls and spoons on the table. She grabbed the milk out of the fridge and placed it next to the bowls. "Well that will have to do." She went to pour the cereal into the bowls but Jacob stopped her.

"Allow me." He offered.

"Are you sure?"

Bella looked so anxious that Jacob burst out laughing. She didn't trust him to pour cereal into a bowl. After his disastrous attempts at cooking in the past she was worried whenever he tried to prepare any kind of meal. "I'm not cooking it, honey."

"Okay." Bella sank down into a vacant chair and smiled at him sheepishly.

Jacob grinned at her as he reached for the milk carton and popped it open. He wasn't really concentrating on what he was doing as he was so focused on Bella's lovely face that he ended up spilling it all over the table. Bella rolled her eyes as Jacob finally realised what he had done. "Oops."

"Face it, Jake. You are hopeless in the kitchen." Bella giggled.

"Yeah, I have to agree. Maybe you should pour the milk." Jacob passed her the carton, smiling apologetically.

"I think it's for the best." Bella teased, her eyes dancing with amusement.

Her cell phone buzzed then, indicating that she had an incoming text. She froze, her good mood instantly plummeting. The last time she had gotten a message it was from Alice. She pulled her cell out of her pocket and stared at the screen warily, as if the phone was going to bite her. With relief she saw that the message was from Charlie.

"It's from dad." She said to Jacob in relief. "He says he's snowed under at work and is pulling an all-nighter. He won't be back until the morning."

"And my dad is staying the night at Cora's." A playful grin crossed Jacob's handsome face. "So that means we have the whole house to ourselves for the night."

Bella squealed in delight. She launched herself at Jacob, falling into his lap as he collapsed in one of the chairs. His heated gaze met hers. "You know I'm not really hungry anymore, for food anyway." He said huskily.

"I think I've got something much more tempting for you." Bella flirted badly as she slid off his lap and took his hand, before leading him back up the stairs to her room.

* * *

"I'm tired, you drive." Charlie handed Tori the keys to his cruiser.

"You are angry with me." Tori said quietly.

"You think?" Charlie rubbed a hand over his face in exhaustion. The long hours at work, plus the many hours spent driving to Seattle without a break had taken its toll. "I told you to stay in the car but you ignored me. Then you come out of nowhere and body slam Carlisle like some female wrestler or something. Who the hell are you, Tori? Huh?"

"What do you expect me to say?" Tori replied coolly.

"I expect the damn truth. I know nothing about you. Not even your last name." Charlie was too weary to argue. "I'm done with this wild goose chase. I just want to go home. Get in the damn car and drive."

Tori scowled. "I don't take kindly to orders."

"Well that's your problem." Charlie snapped. "Drive or don't drive. I don't care anymore. All I know is I'm in no fit state to get behind the wheel. I need sleep." He climbed into the passenger seat of the cruiser and slammed the door shut.

Tori stared at him, the keys dangling from her fingers. She was stunned by his audacity. She had never met a human like him. In the past she would have slain a lesser mortal for the way he had spoken to her. She saw Charlie slump in his seat and close his eyes. Something amounting to affection stirred in Tori's deadened soul. She slipped inside the driver's seat and switched on the engine. Charlie opened his eyes briefly and glanced in her direction. Tori glared at him haughtily before pulling on to the main road. A satisfied smile crossed Charlie's face as he settled down to sleep.

* * *

Jacob and Bella spent a lazy morning in bed before heading to the diner for breakfast. Bella had a shift later that day and Jacob was due to meet up with Sam for another patrol shift. He wasn't looking forward to spending hours in Uley's company. He was butting heads with his Alpha almost daily now as Jacob continued to circumnavigate Sam's orders. He knew it pissed Uley off that he could basically ignore an Alpha command and go his own way, unlike the others.

They found Billy already in the diner tucking into a big cooked breakfast. He hailed them, a smile spreading across his face when he saw them holding hands. When Jacob sat down and Bella went over to Cora to put in their orders, Billy leaned across the table winked slyly at his son. "My advice helped then." He whispered.

"Whatever." Jacob muttered as he refrained from rolling his eyes.

"But you talked." Billy pressed.

"We kinda let our actions speak louder than words." Jacob confided reluctantly.

A deep rumbling laugh escaped Billy. He hit Jacob on the shoulder as he sat back and resumed eating. "That's my boy."

Bella and Cora looked in their direction suspiciously. Jacob's cheeks were blazing. He shrugged as Bella narrowed her eyes at him. She must have guessed what they had been talking about. He shot his dad an irritated glance but Billy just smirked at him as he shovelled some bacon into his mouth and chewed.

* * *

Charlie woke up with a start. Light hit his eyeballs and he groaned, rubbing his eyelids as he straightened up in his seat. His back was aching from having slept in an awkward position. He stretched as much as he could in the small space, before turning to look at Tori. She was ignoring him, staring straight ahead and concentrating on the road. Charlie admired her lovely profile for a moment, before turning his attention to his surroundings. They were about ten miles away from Forks. He was shocked at how far they had come.

"How long was I out?" He asked Tori.

Tori flexed her fingers on the steering wheel, her posture was rigid with tension. "You snore." She said coolly. "And you talk in your sleep."

Charlie felt his face heat up in embarrassment. He knew he sometimes talked in his sleep. Renee had told him that after they had slept together for the first time. During the time of their brief marriage she used to complain that he could hold entire conversations with himself when he was under.

"You should have woken me up." Charlie mumbled.

An amused smile lit up Tori's face for a moment. "Where would the fun have been in that?"

"Great." Charlie huffed. He felt like a complete fool. He crossed his arms across his chest defensively. "So come on, out with it. What did I say?"

Tori glanced at him again. "You mumbled something about some kid called Seth, and that he better have done a good job painting the house, because you spent a fortune on the paint."

"Oh, god." Charlie hid his face behind his hands.

"Then you snored for a couple of hours before you started on some long drawn out saga about your recliner and how much it had cost you to replace it. You ranted for quite a while about that one. It's lucky you were strapped in, especially when you spoke about the rude shop assistant." Tori revealed.

"You're making this up." Charlie blustered, even though he knew she wasn't. There was no way on earth that Tori knew about the debacle with his old recliner. He felt completely mortified.

Tori was laughing openly now at his discomfiture. Charlie gazed at her in wonder. It was such a beautiful sound, so bubbly and like sweet music. He had never heard her let go like that before. "You are an unusual man, Charlie Swan." She murmured, glancing in his direction. "You fascinate me."

"So you keep saying." Charlie said gruffly as he fidgeted in his seat. "I'm glad I amuse you."

"You are upset with me again." Tori's amusement faded and her expression turned serious.

"I know nothing about you, Tori." Charlie rubbed his eyes again as he tried to fight off his weariness. His long sleep had done nothing to ease his exhaustion. He felt bone tired, but didn't know whether it was physical or emotional. Being around Tori was draining. He wished for an uncomplicated romance like Billy had with Cora. He knew it was time to cut Tori loose. He sighed. "I don't know how old you are, where you're from, if you have family, or even your last name. You come and go out of my life when you feel like it. I don't know whether you actually like me or are playing some kind of twisted game. I offer my help, you reject it and act out on your own. Last night, what you did, attacking Carlisle like that..." He shook his head.

Tori's expression turned hard as she stared straight ahead. Her fingers bit into the steering wheel. "My name is Victoria Jane Webster." She said coldly. "I am older than you can imagine. I had a sister once. Her name was Anne. She was everything to me. Older. More like a mother." Her jaw was clenched tightly. "She helped me escape from our pimp. She introduced me to a different life. One where I didn't have to live in fear of men taking advantage of me. I was stronger. I learned to fight, to protect myself. Then I lost her. She was taken from me and I was alone. All alone until James found me...now he's gone, too."

Charlie gazed at Tori in stunned silence. He didn't know what story he had been expecting but not this. This was terrible. It sounded like she had suffered abuse at the hands of different men her whole life. It explained a whole lot about the way she interacted with him and why she was desperate for vengeance on the Cullens. He felt his throat tighten with sympathy as he reached out a hand and clasped one of hers. Tori seemed surprised by this gesture. She turned her head to stare at him in confusion.

"I am so sorry for what happened to you. I am sorry you lost Anne. It must have been devastating for you." Charlie said thickly.

Tori gasped as she wrenched her hand out of his. She breathed in sharply before facing forward again. "Be wary of me, Charlie. Your sympathy is wasted on me. I am not a good person."

"We all have our demons, Tori." Charlie continued tiredly. The sign welcoming them to Forks flashed by. He was home, finally.

* * *

"Come inside." Charlie offered.

Tori stared at the Swan house. She could tell there was no one inside. "Maybe for a moment."

"Whatever." Charlie yawned as he hunted for his house keys. They were hidden deep in the pocket of his jacket. He pulled them out and opened the front door. "Ladies first." He said to Tori, waving her on inside.

Tori hesitated for a second before heading inside. The smell of wet dog was strong, overwhelming in fact. She wrinkled her nose and tried to ignore the potent stench. The wolf boy's scent permeated every room. Tori was so desperate for air that she shoved the back door open and stepped onto the porch. Charlie followed her out curiously. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm not sure." Tori paced up and down restlessly.

Charlie shrugged before turning to inspect Seth's handiwork. He scowled when he noticed that one half of the paint job was smooth and flawless, the other side was slapdash like the boy had gotten bored halfway through and rushed to finish it. "Typical." He cursed.

"What?" Tori paused in her pacing.

"Look at the state of it. If you want a job done, do it yourself." Charlie complained.

Tori came to stand beside him. She glided her fingers across the patchy paintwork. She spotted a half empty paint pot with the lid half open. A paintbrush was abandoned beside it. She smiled to herself as she picked up the brush and dipped it in the paint. "There's no time like the present." She declared, flourishing the brush in Charlie's direction.

"You are being ridiculous." He huffed.

A wicked smirk crossed Tori's face as she darted forward and daubed a spot paint right across Charlie's forehead. He looked so stunned that she burst out laughing. "Now who is ridiculous."

Charlie's eyes narrowed at her taunt. He bent down and grabbed the paint pot. Tori shook her head, thinking he wouldn't dare, but she had roused Charlie's unpredictable side. In one swift movement he dipped his hand in the paint and ran his fingers over her cheek, leaving stripes of blue paint behind.

"I can't believe you did that." Tori breathed.

"But I did." Charlie crowed.

Tori attacked him with the paintbrush again and they began to play fight right there on the back porch.

* * *

Jacob and Bella returned home from the diner, their joined hands swinging between them. In the distance they spotted Charlie's cruiser parked in the drive.

"Oh good, dad's back." Bella said as she looked up at Jacob. Her stomach churned when she saw the tense look on his handsome face. "Jake." She whispered nervously.

"I can smell Tori." Jacob whispered back.

"She's here?" Bella was incredulous. She felt his fingers tighten around hers protectively. "In the house?"

"Yes." Jacob exhaled deeply as he tried to remain in control. "Dammit, because I'm with you no one was watching the house."

"What do we do?" Bella questioned anxiously.

"I need you to go back to the diner while I investigate." Jacob leaned down and kissed Bella's forehead quickly. "It's gonna be okay." He tried to reassure her. "Tori hasn't hurt him so far."

"Stay safe." Bella pleaded.

"Always." Jacob kissed her again, this time on the lips. "Go to the diner." He urged her again. "I'll come find you when I'm done."

Bella reluctantly parted from him and ran toward the diner, glancing over her shoulder every now and then until Jacob vanished out of sight.

* * *

The red head's smell was potent. It lingered in the doorway, overwhelming Jacob's senses with it's sickening sweetness. Tori's scent was mingled with Charlie's. It seemed the police chief had invited her in. Jacob crept inside and cautiously checked the kitchen and the lounge. Neither of them were there. Perplexed, he followed the scent trail out onto the back porch. His dark eyes widened when he saw the mess outside. Paint was splattered everywhere. What the hell had happened? Jacob went back into the kitchen and stilled when he heard movement from upstairs. The stairs creaked as if someone was walking down them. Jacob braced himself, mentally preparing for battle. He stepped out of the kitchen and into the hallway. He glanced up the staircase to find Charlie clumping down the stairs.

The police chief had a towel wrapped around his lower half. He had another in his hand and was buffing his hair dry. "Hey, Jake." He greeted Jacob as if nothing was amiss. "I've just had a shower."

Jacob's head was spinning in confusion. "Are you...um...alone?"

A small smile played on Charlie's lips as he bypassed Jacob and headed into the kitchen. He went to the fruit bowl and picked up an apple. He bit into it and chewed. "Don't worry, kid. Tori left ten minutes ago. You haven't walked in on anything." He laughed heartily at Jacob's disgruntled expression as he took another bite from his apple.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	66. Chapter 66

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Six**

Bella was out of breath when she reached the diner. She paused in the entrance, her heart thumping so violently, that it threatened to break out of her chest. After taking a moment to recover she looked around wildly for Billy and Cora, but the two of them had gone. Bella could see that she was attracting attention from the other patrons. She was having difficulty hiding her distress. She was so worried about Charlie and what this could mean. All her father's previous interactions with Tori had been kept away from the house. For the red head to be inside felt like a line had been crossed. Bella quickly headed for the bathroom and locked herself in one of the cubicles. Now she had some semblance of privacy she closed her eyes and tried to calm down.

Charlie's interactions with Tori had been a perplexing problem to solve. It was hard for her father to be constantly under the wolves watchful gaze because of the job he did. He was always on call and could be sent anywhere. In situations like this it meant it was almost impossible for the wolves to track him without revealing themselves to the public eye. It was very frustrating for all concerned. There was no feasible solution. They were still unsure of Tori's intentions, was she being sincere in her wish to change, or more likely was she using Charlie as her way to gain their trust and then strike like Alice had intimated. But then none of them trusted Alice either, or any of the Cullens.

Bella was torn out of her morbid thoughts by the sound of the bathroom door opening. Someone was coming in. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair down. It was a struggle but she knew she needed to maintain a sense of composure. Jacob would be back soon and he didn't need to see her freaking out. Bella unlocked the door and stepped out of the cubicle and walked right smack bang into Edward.

* * *

Edward's fingers were trembling as they grazed her cheek with a gentleness born of desire. His forehead was pressed against hers, his golden eyes half closed in ecstasy, as he drowned in her intoxicating scent. "I missed you." He said roughly, his throat tightening as her aroma surrounded him like a drug. "It's feels like when we first met."

Bella's head was swimming. She was shocked at his sudden appearance, certainly hadn't been expecting it, or prepared for it. She was like a statue, frozen in his arms, unable to speak or move.

"I will never get used to how you make me feel." Edward continued. His long lashes dipped as he inhaled sharply, his fingers dropped from her face to the curve of her neck. He skimmed them along her skin, goose pumps rising in their wake. "I didn't mean to startle you, but when I saw this opportunity I grabbed it." He moved his head so their cheeks were pressed together, his other hand had slid over her heart, his fingers splayed as he felt every beat. "Please say something, my darling. Please tell me that I'm not alone in thinking how special this precious moment is. That's it's like a gift."

Bella came slowly back to life. She carefully withdrew from his embrace, stepping out of his arms, relieved that he let her go without much of a fight. "Edward, this is wrong. You know it is."

He nodded and dipped his head in defeat. "I know you feel that way now." He said in a low voice, thick with want and hurt. "But I have hope that things are going to change."

"There is no hope." Bella felt tears welling in her eyes at the pain in his voice. She breathed deeply and tried to blink them away. "I'm not the one." She whispered. "I don't belong in your world. I...I don't belong with you."

Edward sucked in his lower lip and turned away from her slightly. Bella stared at his handsome profile. He was so beautiful, her memory hadn't done him justice. He was like an angel, an Adonis, forever out of her reach or any human girls. To compare him with Jacob was like comparing night and day. Edward was forced to live in the shadows, just because of who and what he was. Once upon a time she had been willing to join him there. But not anymore. She had basked in the light of the sun, she craved the heat and not the cold. Jacob was her sun, her saviour and her protector. She was content to be herself when she was with him, with Edward she was always striving for perfection, something that was impossible to attain.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose again. It was such a familiar gesture. Bella knew it was a sign of his irritation, that he was trying to maintain control in his quest to understand her. He had such easy access to others minds, but not hers, the one he wanted to read the most. Instead he was forced to do it the old fashioned way. He opened his eyes and studied her, trying to read her subtle facial expressions, searching for a clue that what she was saying with her mouth, didn't match what she was telling him with her body language. Failing, he sighed, taking her hands and wrapping them in his.

"I will never stop protecting you, Bella." Edward said earnestly.

"That isn't your job anymore." Bella replied sadly. "I have Jacob."

"Victoria is still hunting." Edward cried in exasperation. "She is in your house right now..."

"How do you know that?"

"I tracked her there. I've been tracking her for ages. But she always eludes me."

"Yes, Jake saw you." Bella's tone turned cool as she wrenched her hands out of his. "You caused him to crash his bike and then left him there unconscious."

"I knew that his injuries were superficial and would heal quickly. My priority was Victoria and protecting you." Edward was dismissive. "Something which the dogs have failed to do."

"Don't you dare." Bella felt a lick of anger run up her spine. "They have been running themselves ragged trying to protect me. Without them I would have been dead months ago."

Edward gasped, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose again. "I know that. I'm sorry. They have done the best that they can do in the circumstances." He sighed again, his hands dropping to his sides as he gazed at her imploringly. "I don't mean to denigrate them. They have done their best with the limited resources that they have. But things are different now...things are escalating beyond anything we could have imagined. Victoria is wilier than we ever anticipated. She is playing the long game, biding her time until she strikes. Alice has expressed concerns that you are all succumbing to her twisted games. Through her interactions with your father, and her continual manipulation of him, you are beginning to trust him in her care. And that is a very dangerous thing to do."

Bella felt her heart sink when he mentioned Alice. "I wonder, Edward, if you have ever questioned Alice's intentions. What do you see when you peer into her mind? When you read her thoughts?"

"Bella..." Edward was distraught. "Surely you are not questioning Alice's motives. She loves you like a sister. You are a part of her."

His statement gave Bella pause. It was strikingly similar to what Alice had said to her. "What do you mean by that?"

"Bella, we have little time for this." Edward pleaded. "You mustn't doubt Alice's attachment to you. Don't let Victoria fool you into thinking she is something other than she is. I know you feel conflicted now. I understand that Jacob Black holds a piece of your heart right now, maybe forever. But I hold an even bigger piece, the part that matters the most. I know Alice told you what she has seen." His features softened as his golden brown eyes gazed at her in wonder. "A child, Bella. A little girl..."

"My god." Bella's fingers sank into her hair as she backed away from him. She shook her head to clear it. "That's not true. Even if it is maybe she was adopted, or belongs to someone else entirely. She could be a child of a friend, or fostered..."

Edward's attention was drawn away from her. His gaze turned calculating and his head was cocked to one side as if listening intently. "I have to go, my darling. Black is coming." He reached out and cupped her face, his long white fingers caressing the apple of her cheek. "You are so beautiful." He said thickly as a tender smile played about his perfect lips. "And our daughter will be too." He revealed right before he vanished the way he had come.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	67. Chapter 67

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Seven**

Since that first time, Jacob hadn't phased against his will, and he didn't want it to happen here, of all places. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins, perspiration coated his tan skin. He was barely in control. His hands shook as he pushed through the doors of the diner and followed Edward Cullen's sickly sweet scent straight to the ladies room. He ignored the curious stares of the customers as he surged past them, his only focus was Bella. Just as he reached the bathroom, he saw Bella emerge. Her face was paler than normal and she had her arms wrapped around her midriff. When she saw him, she stopped, her brown eyes widening in alarm at the ferocious expression on his face. She knew Jacob well enough to know when he was about to explode.

"Not here." She faltered as she staggered out of the diner. She heard people whispering and wanted to yell in their faces to mind their own business.

Jacob followed her outside into the open. He breathed in the fresh air, filling his lungs with it. His chest was heaving. Every muscle in body was twitching, jerking as he fought the urge to transform into his wolf. He paced, keeping his distance from Bella. She stood a few feet away, her arms still wrapped around her middle. He couldn't approach her yet. She stank. She smelled awful. Like him. Like Edward fucking Cullen.

"I swear I didn't know he was going to be there." Bella whispered brokenly. "You are angry, aren't you?"

Jacob nodded. "It's not what you think. I'm not angry at you." He was angry with Cullen. Angry at himself for letting her go off alone, unprotected.

"Please talk to me." Bella begged.

"That bastard destroyed you. Not just him. That whole damn coven." Jacob had his hands in his hair. He breathed deeply...once...twice. But it didn't help. He could still smell Cullen's cloying scent all over her. " _I hate him. Really hate him. I hate all of them."_

"What can I do?" Bella pleaded quietly. "What can I do to make this better?"

Jacob hated that he was the one hurting her. He hated that he was the one making her doubt herself, the one who was making her cry. He could see the tears threatening to fall. He couldn't stand not to wrap his arms around her, but while she still smelt of him, he had no choice but to keep away from her. Especially when he was still as riled up as he was.

"Maybe you can take a shower." He suggested with difficulty. One she smelt like Bella again, then they could talk.

"I can do that." Bella blinked rapidly as she fought back her tears. "I'll be as quick as I can." She spun on her heel and fled toward the house, with Jacob trailing far behind.

* * *

Bella had scrubbed her skin until it was raw. She wanted every last trace of Edward Cullen gone from her pores. She didn't want to aggravate Jacob more than she already had. Bella felt guilty. She had allowed Edward to get close to her, she had allowed him to place his hand on her face, let him rest his forehead against hers. She couldn't describe how overwhelmed she had felt at his sudden appearance. He had caught her by surprise. Which meant she wasn't mentally prepared to shield herself against his charm. She had acted like the old Bella, allowing him to take control of the situation, and acceding to his will. Jacob had every right to be upset with the way she had handled the situation.

Jacob was waiting in the kitchen for her. Charlie, sensing the tension between the young couple, had retreated to the lounge to give them some space. Bella joined Jacob at the table. She had changed into a loose v-neck tee teamed with some sweatpants. Her long hair hung in wet tendrils around her face. She had doused her hair with strawberry shampoo, it was Jacob's favourite.

"Is that better?" She asked cautiously.

Jacob reached across the table and took hold of her hands. He saw Bella's lower lip quiver and he felt moisture prick at his eyes. "I hurt you, honey. I'm so sorry."

"You didn't hurt me." Bella was incredulous that he thought that he was to blame for her messing up. "Why would you think that?"

"I don't like you seeing me like that...so angry...so close to losing control." Jacob ducked his head. "I should never have let you go off alone like that, unprotected. I screwed up. Cullen took advantage of my lapse in judgement and pounced. Anything could have happened..."

"Jake, please, don't blame yourself. You can't split yourself in half. Sending me to the diner was the safest option. You didn't know what you were facing when you went to investigate when Tori was in here. I should have been safe in the diner surrounded by other people. In fact I would have been if I hadn't been so dumb and locked myself in a toilet cubicle because I was freaking out." Bella cried. She rested her forehead on their joined hands, feeling full of regret and self blame.

"Listen to the two of us." Jacob shook his head sadly. "C'mere, Bells. I hate this distance between us." He let go of her hands and held out his arms. Bella burst into tears and flung herself into his welcoming embrace, nestling against his warm body as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

* * *

Leah ran the comb skilfully through Bella's wet hair. It amazed Bella how gentle she was, how her hands could move so dexterously, weaving a tight braid that would leave her hair in waves when she unbound it.

"Done." Leah declared as she tied off the end and settled on the sofa next to Bella.

"Thanks." Bella curled the thick braid around her left shoulder and played with the ends. Leah was on Bella watch while Jacob had left for an impromptu meeting with his pack. He needed to inform them about the latest turn of events regarding Tori and Edward.

"What's on your mind, girlfriend?" Leah asked as she studied Bella carefully. She could sense the other girl was dying to say something but was too scared to start the conversation. "Do you want to talk about what really happened with the leech?"

Bella was always surprised at how astute Leah Clearwater could be. She may act all brash, but she had a sensitive side that she kept well hidden from her brothers. "I didn't tell Jake everything Edward said to me."

"I could tell you were hiding something." Leah replied with a deep sigh. "Go on, hit me with it."

Bella swallowed thickly, wondering how she was even supposed to start. "I already told you about the vision that Alice spoke about on the phone."

"Yeah, you and some kid." Leah shrugged, her brow furrowing.

"Edward mentioned it, too." Bella tugged at her braid agitatedly. "Alice has convinced him that the little girl in the vision is...is.. _his_." She whispered the last word.

"You are fucking kidding me." Leah exploded in exasperation. "And that deluded dipshit believed it? That is just crazy talk."

Bella flinched when Leah called Edward a dipshit but she refrained from commenting on it. "He was so convinced. It's given him hope and made him more determined that our future lies together."

"Jeez, those vamps are insane. Fact, it is impossible for them to breed. They are not even _alive_. Not in the literal sense anyway. They are frozen in time. Which means the icy dude's sperm will be too. Semen isn't what makes a baby. It's the sperm in the semen. Sperm are living cells. Edward is dead - his cells have been burned and crystallized by venom. Therefore his sperm are also dead. Dead cells aren't functional. His sperm couldn't pass on DNA and fertilize an egg. So no, it would be freaking impossible for him to make anyone pregnant." Leah finished flatly. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm even having to think about this, let alone discuss it."

Bella laughed hysterically at the disgusted expression on Leah's face. The she-wolf looked like she wanted to throw up. Bella drew in a sharp breath and hiccupped. In the past any mention of sex would have made her skin burn with mortification but Leah's long winded explanation made the whole vampire/human copulation thing just laughable. Relief flooded through her and she felt the tight coil in her stomach lessen. "Oh my god, I needed that."

Leah quirked an eyebrow, a smirk playing about her lips. "You know the dude is probably impotent anyway, right."

"Huh?" This time two spots of red bloomed on Bella's cheeks

"He has no circulating blood, right?"

"Technically..." Bella said slowly.

"Well how the hell can he get an erection without circulating blood?"

"Well...I mean...um...I know that the others...um...Rosalie and Emmet definitely had an active sex life, so..." Bella bit down on her lower lip, feeling totally embarrassed to be discussing such an uncomfortable topic. "I mean vampire's skin is hard, so...maybe they have..."

"Permanent erections?! Welcome to biology for the insane." Leah screamed with laughter, making Bella jump out of her skin. "Honestly, girlfriend, you can't tell me after a hundred years he's still got some active swimmers! Give me a break!"

Bella put her hands over her face as she giggled. "This is too much."

"Agreed. Jeez, lets end this topic and agree that there is no way on earth that Edward Cullen could ever father a child with you or any human." Leah held out her hand.

Bella took it and the two girls shook on it.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! I researched some message boards on-line looking for explanations on how Edward ever got Bella pregnant in the first place. Some of the conversations had me in fits of laughter. I cherry picked some of the best for this chapter.**_


	68. Chapter 68

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Eight**

Jacob sat on the driftwood log staring out at the ocean as Sam talked. "You can't keep testing my authority, Jake. Either step up or let me lead."

"I won't challenge you again. I made a bad call letting Bella go off alone to the diner. Cullen could have taken her..." Jacob hung his head. The light breeze coming off the ocean ruffled his hair. He had been growing it out again for Bella because he knew she missed his long hair.

Sam sighed heavily as he sat down next to Jacob. "It was the only call." He put a calming hand on Jacob's shoulder.

Jacob raised his head and gazed at his Alpha. Sam looked weary, lines creased his forehead and around his mouth. The burden of leadership weighed heavily on him, but he bore it stoically so Jacob wouldn't have to. "I'm sorry." He apologised roughly. "I'm a coward."

"You are not a coward." Sam sighed again. Dark clouds were building, a storm was approaching. "I wanted off the reservation as much as anybody. I had to give up a scholarship I'd worked hard for. Lee and I..." He ran his fingers through his cropped hair. "Ah, it doesn't matter now."

"It should never have come to this." Jacob lamented. He knew the tribe needed them, the protectors. He knew they couldn't just walk away from their responsibilities. Not with the way things were.

"No...it shouldn't." Sam agreed as he looked far over the horizon. "But this is the way our life is now. There is no point fighting what we can't change."This was the most cordial they had been with each other for quite awhile. It felt good to let go of the anger and resentment that had been building between them for months. "I have a suggestion." Sam continued. "Jared is willing to take a step back so there is room for a new beta. Will you be my second? It will give you more authority over the others in my absence, but you will still need to answer to me on the bigger decisions."

It was as good a compromise as any. "Done." Jacob held out his hand and Sam took it as they shook firmly on the deal.

* * *

When Sam announced the change in hierarchy it surprised absolutely no one. The others knew that Jacob and Uley's infighting was bound to erupt at some point, but they were glad of a peaceful resolution. Emily appeared with food as the pack began to get rowdy. Sam took a step back and allowed Jacob to bring their brothers to order. He was pleased at how quickly the others obeyed Jacob's commands. He worried that some, mainly Paul Lahote, wouldn't take kindly to Jacob exerting his authority, but the transition proved seamless.

"For now we stay close to home." Sam told the others after everything had calmed down. Emily silently handed out the food while he spoke. "With Edward Cullen back in the area as well as the red head, we need to be extra vigilant. I want no one patrolling alone, and there will always be at least two wolves on guard at the Swan's until further notice."

Jacob knew that this meant that Bella would essentially be under house arrest unless she was with him. He knew it was frustrating and he felt guilty that his brothers were being forced to give up their precious time to keep his girl safe. He knew they would have done it selflessly anyway, but he made sure to give a passionate speech about how much their support meant to him.

"I couldn't do this without any of you." He met each pair of eyes as he expressed his gratitude. He could see that the others were getting as emotional as he felt, except Paul, who was hiding his emotions behind his trademark smirk.

"Eat up." Emily encouraged them. "There is plenty more where that came from."

The pack didn't need asking twice. They dived into the food, with some cramming as much into their mouths as possible, acting like it was going to be their last meal on earth. That was until Seth piped up. "This potato salad isn't a patch on Bella's." He said, chewing slowly.

A deathly hush fell at the table. Seth stopped eating. His cheeks were puffed out like a hamsters after he had stuffed his mouth with food. He looked around, wondering why everyone had stopped talking and was staring at him in disbelief. Then he heard Emily sniffle. She dabbed at her eyes with the edge of her apron, looking like a kitten who had been kicked. Seth gulped, realising he had made a catastrophic faux pas. He saw Sam scowling at him from the other side of the table.

"I mean it's almost as good." Seth stuffed some of the potato salad in his already full mouth. "Mmmmm..."

"You don't need to pretend." Emily mumbled tearfully. "I know that my cooking isn't on a par with Bella's."

"It is the best, better than the best." Seth said earnestly as he tried to correct his mistake.

"Don't lie about it, Sethy." Emily let a solitary tear run down her scarred cheek. "I know you prefer Bella's cooking to mine. I know she feeds you. You rarely eat here anymore. In fact none of you do." She stared miserably around the table while the pack tried to avoid her sad face.

"It's not about preference." Sam comforted his imprint. He placed his hand on the small of Emily's back and rubbed soothing circles. "It's just more convenient right now because we spend so much time guarding the Swan's house. Right guys?" He gave his brothers a stern look, indicating that there would be consequences if anyone dared to refute this explanation.

The others nodded dumbly and Emily brightened up. "If that's the case maybe I should be spending more time with Bella. The two of us can cook up a storm together." Emily suggested eagerly. She looked right at Jacob as she said it.

Jacob felt trapped. He didn't know what to say without upsetting Emily. It's not that he thought that Bella wouldn't enjoy Emily's company, but he worried it would result in more heartache for Sam's imprint once she witnessed the flourishing friendship between Bella and Leah. He noticed that Sam appeared uneasy. He was clearly thinking the same thing.

"You don't want to impose, sweetheart." Sam snaked an arm around Emily's slim waist and tugged her closer.

"I won't be imposing. Bella won't mind." Emily sounded so certain that it about broke Sam's heart. "We can trade recipes. You guys carry on with your meeting while I go and sort through some of the best ones to show Bella."

The uncomfortable silence remained once Emily had left. Suddenly the food tasted like ashes. Sam looked desperately at Jacob. "She is so keen. Can't you talk to Bella, please?" He begged.

Jacob knew he had no choice. "I'll try." He promised as he snuck out of the kitchen to make a call.

* * *

"Emily wants to come here and spend some time bonding over our love of cooking." Bella revealed to Leah after her short conversation with Jacob.

"I don't want her here." A scowl marred Leah's attractive face. She was angry that once again her cousin was trying to steal something from her. First it was Sam, now she was going after Bella.

"I can't just say no." Bella said imploringly.

"Why not?" Leah demanded. "You are either my friend or hers."

"That is a ridiculous suggestion. You can't make me choose." Bella was infuriated by Leah's response to the situation.

"It's not ridiculous." Leah glowered. "I am sick of my cousin muscling in on my life."

Bella knew that the she-wolf was still hurting because of her break up with Sam. She had done an excellent job of moving on from her former lover, but the bitterness toward her cousin remained. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't." Leah snapped.

"So, I hurt Emily instead." Bella didn't bother to hide her bitterness.

"I am not asking you to take sides." Leah huffed. "I just wanted this one thing for myself. Is that so bad?"

"No, it's not." Bella's voice softened in understanding. "If you want me to say no then I will."

Leah looked torn. She sank onto the sofa, with her arms crossed defensively across her chest. "If I say no then I will be just as manipulative as Edward fucking Cullen. What kind of friend would that make me?"

"A good one." Bella ducked down so she was more on Leah's level. "I don't know what I would have done without you these past months. I can never repay you for that."

"Oh, god, girl you better not be about to cry." Leah rolled her eyes. "Dammit, invite Emily over."

"Are you sure?" Bella swiped at her eyes, smiling through her tears at Leah's disgruntled expression.

"Yes." Leah said grudgingly.

Bella swooped in and gave Leah a hug. "You are awesome."

"Get off." Leah pushed Bella away, but smiled all the same. "You owe me."

"Thanks, Lee." Bella said gratefully as she pulled out her cell to call Jacob back.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	69. Chapter 69

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Sixty Nine**

Bella opened the door to find Emily loaded down with bags containing raw ingredients and notebooks containing her recipe ideas. Bella hastily took some of the bags from her, secretly shocked at how much Emily had brought with her. Were they cooking up a feast or something? Jacob had made it sound like they would be simply trading a few recipes and cooking tips. But the amount that Emily brought with her made it seem deadly serious or like some competition.

"Thanks, Bella." Emily puffed as she staggered inside. She dropped the rest of her bags and put her hands on her lower back, groaning slightly.

"Um...I wasn't expecting you to bring so much." Bella was peering into some of the bags curiously.

"I thought we could spend the afternoon cooking properly together. It will be fun you'll see." Emily said eagerly. She stopped, her smile slipping off her face when Leah emerged from the lounge. "I...I didn't know you were here."

"I'm on Bella watch." Leah drawled sarcastically. She saw Bella frown at her and she tried to lighten her tone. "How have you been, Emily?" She said more formerly.

"Okay I guess. Um...you?" Emily asked nervously.

"Apart from this one boring me to tears by forcing me to watch her tragic romance movies, I've been good." Leah replied sardonically.

"That's not a nice thing to say, Leah." Emily chastised her as her eyes flicked to Bella apologetically. "I'm sure she doesn't mean it."

Leah narrowed her eyes and scowled at her cousin, but before she could issue a retort Bella got there first. "It's okay, Emily. Lee was just teasing me. She loves a good tear jerker as much as the rest of us." She saw Leah's scowl intensify before the she-wolf seemed to get a control of herself and smoothed her expression into a stony mask.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Leah. I just...I misread the situation." Emily apologised. "I never realised you two were such good friends." She felt confused and hurt that no one had the foresight to warn her about this turn of events.

"Clearly." Leah said coolly. "Just forget about it."

"Why don't we all head into the kitchen?" Bella suggested as she tried to diffuse the situation. "We can unpack these bags and see what surprises Emily has brought us."

"Sounds like a plan." Leah led the way, ignoring her cousin as she swept gracefully into the kitchen.

"I'm really sorry, Bella." Emily murmured. "I didn't mean to cause any friction."

"Forget about it. And you don't have to whisper. Lee's fine. Aren't you?" Bella called out to Leah.

"I will be if I don't die of old age waiting for you to get your ass in here." Leah shot back at her.

Bella smiled brightly at Emily's anxious face. "See, everything's good."

* * *

Charlie was hemmed in behind a mountain of paperwork. He was sure it was breeding. Every day his job became more and more deskbound as the authorities insisted on every i being dotted and every t crossed. Everything had to be copied in triplicate and forwarded to different departments with meaningless names, run by idiots who didn't know their ass from their elbow. Forget something and they were on his back like a pack of wolf hounds, ready to devour him whole. It was disheartening to admit but Charlie had fallen out of love with his job. Filling in endless forms wasn't why he had joined the force in the first place. He had wanted to make an impact, to do some good in the world. He had always believed in law and order. But over the last few months his outlook on life had changed. It was a bleak thought but he was beginning to think about stepping down as chief.

A knock on the door of his office broke him out of his stupor. "Come in." He barked irritably.

Mac poked his head around the door. "I've got someone to see you. And she's a real looker." He let out a low whistle and winked at Charlie.

This was all too reminiscent of the last time his deputy had barged into his office and said the same thing. He had fallen for Mac's prank last time when he stupidly assumed it had been Tori paying him a visit when it turned out to be one of the damn Bishop twins. "Do I look like I have time to see anyone?" Charlie snapped furiously at his deputy. "You handle her. I'm busy."

Mac was shocked at the ferocity of his superiors response. His face turned red. "Alright, I'll tell her you're in a meeting or something."

 _"Well that's rude."_

Charlie's eyes widened when he heard Tori's voice in the background. He stood up hastily, inadvertently knocking some of the hated paperwork off his desk. The papers floated to the floor, settling at Tori's feet as she swept past a stunned Mac. She beamed at the shocked deputy, directing the full force of her charm on him. "Don't worry. Your boss and I are old friends." She winked at him as she settled down on one of the only vacant chairs in the office and drew her long legs upwards, resting her feet on the police chief's desk as she lounged in the chair.

Mac couldn't stop staring at her shapely legs. His mouth hung open as Tori laughed in amusement. Charlie was not amused however. "Get back to work." He ordered his hapless deputy.

"Right...yeah." Mac was jolted back to life as he quickly scuttled out of Charlie's office, closing the door behind him.

Charlie scowled irritably as he focused his attention on Tori. "What are you doing here?"

Tori smirked as she dropped her feet back onto the floor and swivelled in her chair. "I had a few hours to kill so I thought I would drop in and see exactly what it is you do in here." She glanced around the office, at the paperwork littering the floor, the stark walls and the desk piled high with files. "This is what you enjoy?" She asked incredulously.

"I don't enjoy it." Charlie replied in exasperation as he glared at the scattered paperwork.

"Then why are you doing it?" Tori asked nonchalantly as she eyed the growing mound of paperwork.

"I don't know." Charlie murmured as he moistened his lips. "It pays the bills."

Tori was studying him curiously. "Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yes." Charlie agreed suddenly. He grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on. "What do you have in mind?"

"You'll see." Tori said with an enigmatic smile.

* * *

Bella iced her last cupcake then stepped back and gazed at her work proudly. She caught Leah rolling her eyes at her and poked her tongue out at the she-wolf in retaliation. Emily was bent down, pulling her muffins out of the oven. The smell of freshly baked goods was making all their mouths water. Emily carefully eased her tray down onto the table, smiling triumphantly in Bella's direction. Her eyes said everything. She had already declared herself the competition winner. Boring old cupcakes did not compare to her speciality.

"I think these are the best I've ever made." She boasted.

Leah pulled a face behind her cousin's back but refrained from saying anything. Bella just shrugged. She didn't care about who's food was the best. It was all going to be eaten anyway. The pack were on their way. Jacob had phoned not ten minutes ago. Like always they seemed to have an inner clock in their brain which set off an alarm to tell them that food was ready and waiting for them. The kitchen table was covered in goodies. Bella and Emily had been cooking for hours, with Leah chipping in by helpfully tasting some of the fresh food on display. She had already snatched one of Bella's cupcakes and was chewing it slowly, revelling as the light sponge practically dissolved on her tongue.

"Jeez, girlfriend, what is in these? Cocaine? They're delicious." Leah moaned as she grabbed another cupcake and shoved it in whole.

Emily looked at Leah disdainfully. "Cupcakes are simple to make. Have one of these?" She blew on one of her muffins to cool it down before tossing it to her cousin.

Leah caught it swiftly. She had eaten Emily's muffins countless times. They were good, but heavy on the stomach if you had too many. Catching Bella's eye, she sighed and bit into it. "Awesome." She said with an effort. "Well done."

"Thanks, Leah." Emily puffed up under her cousin's praise. Behind her back Bella gave Leah a thumbs up for effort.

The she-wolf just rolled her eyes again as she rose gracefully to her feet. "I'm gonna fire up the barbecue before the others get here. That lot won't last long once they sink their teeth into it."

"Good idea." Emily took off her apron and folded it neatly. "I'm just going to wash up. Can I use your bathroom, Bella?"

"Of course. It's the first room on the right." Bella directed her toward the stairs.

Once Emily was out of earshot, Leah stared at Bella, one eyebrow quirked. "You've done a good job of boosting my cousin's ego. It's now so inflated her head's beginning to swell."

"Oh, shut up." Bella complained good-naturedly. "Let Emily have her turn in the spotlight."

"What about your turn in the spotlight? You always let others take centre stage. Just like Emily now and that stupid cow who stole your graduation speech." Leah asked.

"Being in the spotlight is overrated. I was once and I ended up with a horde of vampires trying to kill me." Bella quipped.

"Fair point." Leah agreed. "You can keep me company in the shadows."

"I like the sound of that." Bella said with a smile.

* * *

Charlie gazed at the brownstone building. There was a golden plaque on the side of the door with the name Nicholas, Grayson & Co. "You call this a fun time?" He questioned sardonically as he turned to face Tori.

"I never said it was fun. Be patient." Tori settled down in her seat. They had parked the cruiser opposite the imposing building in Port Angeles under the cover of some trees.

"I feel like a private detective on a stake out." Charlie grumbled as he sank lower in his seat.

"Well it's an option." Tori suggested slyly.

"What is?" Charlie huffed as he eyed the solicitors dubiously.

"You said you were bored. Being a PI means you can be your own boss. Isn't that what you want?" Tori asked.

 _ **A/N-more to come! Thanks for reading!**_


	70. Chapter 70

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright of course belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy**

The impromptu feast had turned into a party. It was so rare for the whole pack to be together in one place that they took advantage. It was Paul Lahote and Quil Ateara who started it. They dragged Charlie's ancient sound system into the garden, hauling the heavy speakers onto the lawn, wires trailing behind them. Quil plundered his record collection, mostly vinyl, and tried to find something decent to play. It looked like the police chief had an affiliation for rock music. He decided he would just have to make do.

The food was going down a storm. Leah had fired up the barbecue and was dolling out burgers and steaks by the dozen to feed the wolves hungry mouths. Emily was in seventh heaven as she took charge of handing out the treats that she and Bella had slaved so hard to make, and she graciously took credit for most of the work. Sam stood by her side proudly, just happy to see her so happy.

Jacob grabbed Bella's hand as a soft rock tune blared out from the old speakers. He smiled at her, his dark eyes sparkling. Bella smiled back at him. "Dance with me, honey." He said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Bella usually avoided any and all attempts at dancing, but she was in such a mellow mood, that she didn't care if anyone witnessed her clumsy attempts to move to the music, or if Jacob's brothers ribbed her later on for her lack of grace. She wrapped her arms around him and tucked her face into his neck. He smelled amazing and she breathed him in, feeling content. Jacob pressed his body to hers, the song was reaching its crescendo, upping it's rhythm. They were swaying quite fast now and half grinding against each other. Jacob was such a good dancer. Bella moved with him, happy to let him lead.

"Thanks for what you did today for Emily." Jacob whispered close to her ear.

"No problem." Bella whispered back. "Emily's a good cook."

"Ah, but you're even better." Jacob said truthfully as he suddenly spun Bella away from him, before pulling her back into the tight circle of his arms.

Bella laughed, feeling breathless and slightly giddy. "Warn me next time you do that." She chided him playfully.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Jacob teased. He could see that Bella was tiring. He captured her hand again and led her toward what was left of the food. He grabbed some drinks and passed one to Bella. "All your stuff is gone." He pointed out quietly.

"I know." Bella felt a burst of pride. "I think Seth ate all the cupcakes. I saw him sneaking off with at least three plates all to himself."

"I'm afraid we've all been a bad influence on him." Jacob chuckled.

"Don't corrupt him too much." Bella tapped Jacob on his broad chest, laughing.

"I can promise that but I can't say the same for the others." Jacob jerked his head toward Paul and Quil. The two of them were standing on the porch, treating it like a stage. They had their arms around each other's shoulders as they caterwauled loudly, singing along with the lyrics to the song that was playing.

Bella put her hands over her ears. "They're terrible. Make them stop. The neighbours will complain."

"Ugh, leave it to me." Jacob grimaced. He could already see an irritated Sam heading in the hapless duos direction.

Bella shook her head as she watched Jacob leave. She raised her cup to her mouth and drank some of the refreshing orange juice. It tasted cool on her lips and she licked them with her tongue. Leah came to join her. She had closed down the barbecue after running out of food. "Those tools never learn." She complained to Bella, referring to Paul and Quil.

"Nope." Bella agreed. "Want some juice?" She offered.

"I'm good." Leah's eyes had flicked to the impromptu dance floor, which in reality was Charlie's perfectly manicured lawn. "I wouldn't mind busting some moves though." She suggested with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Are you up for some fun, girlfriend?"

Bella busted up laughing. "Are you serious? You've seen me dance."

"You've got your own groove going on, girl. There is nothing wrong with that." Leah stated firmly.

"My own groove. I like that." Bella smiled, tipping her head back and swallowing the last of the orange juice. "Lead the way, sister."

Leah laughed as she grabbed Bella's hand and pulled her into the middle of the lawn. She began to gyrate sexily, her body moving sinuously like a cat. Bella tried to copy her graceful movements but failed. Leah smiled, slowing down as she helped guide Bella, teaching her a more fluid way of dancing. From the sidelines Emily stood alone, looking at the two girls showing off with tears in her eyes. She felt left out and excluded. She missed being a part of something. Sam returned to her side. He noticed how upset she was and put his arms around her comfortingly.

Bella and Leah had their backs pressed together. They lowered their bodies to the ground, bending their knees, both looking over their shoulders at each other, before slowly rising to their feet. Bella had unbound her hair from its braid. It flowed down her back in satin waves. She shook her head from side to side, copying Leah's movements as they whirled round and joined hands, letting their heads fall back, eyes closed as they spun in a circle. They had attracted the attention of the others now.

Jacob had finished dealing with Paul and Quil. He gazed at Bella, his expression heated. She was so damn sexy and had no idea. He felt Embry come up beside him. "Wow, is that Bella and Lee?" He questioned in disbelief.

"Yep." Jacob popped the P. He was so proud of his girl. There was no way Bella would have felt confident enough to put on such a display a year ago. "I'm gonna go dance with Bells. Wanna come with?"

Embry grinned as he followed Jacob over to the two girls. Bella felt dizzy and breathless. She was smiling, resting her head against Leah's shoulder as the she-wolf kept her upright. She saw Jacob coming to claim her again. A tender smile was playing about his lips. His black hair was getting long now, it flicked across his forehead, almost covering one eye. Jacob raised his hand and moved it away restlessly. His hands found Bella's waist when he reached her, steadying her as she swayed. "Hey, beautiful." He said huskily as he gazed straight into her warm brown eyes.

"Hey, you." Bella smiled lazily, looping her arms around his neck. She noticed that Leah was gone from her side. Somehow Embry Call had managed to persuade her friend to dance with him. "I missed you." She purred, trying to sound sexy. She ran a finger along his lower lip.

"Not too much." Jacob rested his forehead on hers. He laughed quietly. "You and Lee looked like you were having fun."

"I totally was." Bella felt slightly drunk, even though she hadn't touched a drop of alcohol. This was what it must feel like to be so happy that you were walking on air. "Dancing with Lee was fun. But not as much fun as dancing with you."

Jacob's fingers splayed on her hips as he drew her closer. They began to sway slowly to the beat of the music, their heated gaze never leaving each other. "I love you." He murmured so only she could hear.

"I love you, too." She whispered back right before she kissed him.

* * *

"There's not much call for a PI in Forks." Charlie said testily as he dismissed the idea.

"Who said you had to be based in Forks? You can go anywhere you want to." Tori replied pointedly. She flicked her long, red hair over her shoulder as her gaze returned to the building across the road.

"Forks is my home." Charlie frowned. "There's no way I can move. Bells still lives with me."

Tori returned her attention to him curiously. "She will move out eventually. What will you do then?"

"I've lived alone before. I'll manage." Charlie muttered. But despite his answer he suddenly felt desolate. The prospect of prowling around an empty house again was bleak.

"It sounds like a lonely existence." Tori shook her red curls. "You have a life, you shouldn't be so quick to close yourself off to new experiences. Some of us never had that choice."

Charlie heard the underlying bitterness in her tone. He swallowed thickly. "Are you thinking of your sister?" He asked softly.

But Tori wasn't listening anymore. Her eyes were riveted on the brownstone building opposite them. She grabbed Charlie's hand to get his attention. He reluctantly followed the direction of her gaze and as he did so a small gasp left his lips. He saw Edward Cullen emerge furtively out into the light. He wasn't alone. Beside him was a taller male. He was of slight build, about six foot three in height. His skin was unnaturally pale and his light brown hair was short and spiky. His eyes were covered by dark ray bans, similar to the ones Tori used to wear. Charlie noticed that Edward appeared a little wary of his companion. His face was tight and drawn. The police chief was trying to figure out this new turn of events when he felt Tori's fingers bite into his skin.

"We have to go. NOW!" She hissed.

"What for? I want to know what is going on." Charlie demanded. He made as if to get out of the car but Tori held him back. She now had her arm anchored across his waist. Her eyes were large and pleading. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"It's Demetri." Tori muttered darkly.

"Who the fuck is Demetri?" Charlie was getting impatient. He noticed that Edward's head had jerked around and he seemed to be glancing repeatedly in their direction. His features were still tense. His companion looked irritated as he clamped a hand on Cullen's shoulder as if cementing him in place. "Who is that man, Tori? Even Edward Cullen seems afraid of him."

Tori's lower lip quivered. She sank low in her seat, her eyes wild with fear. "My sister. He was part of the group that killed her. He would have killed me but I escaped. He's dangerous. Who he associates with are dangerous. The fact that's he's here means that something is brewing. He's a tracker, like James, but so much better, more ruthless."

"He's a hunter." Charlie shot another glance toward this supposedly intimidating guy. Tori had outed this guy as a murderer and Edward fucking Cullen was hanging around with him. "We need to contact the authorities. This scumbag can't get away with his crimes. Why didn't you tell me about this before, Tori?"

"We need to leave." Tori begged. "We'll be discovered if we stay here any longer. I didn't expect him to be here. I thought it was just Edward Cullen inside."

"I'm not going." Charlie's face turned hard.

"Then you give me no choice." Tori muttered as she knocked him out cold with the back of her hand.

* * *

Charlie groaned as he came to. He rubbed the back of his head with his hand. It was aching. He felt a small bump at the base of his skull. "Shit, what happened to me." He said thickly. With difficulty he turned his head to look at Tori groggily. "You did this to me."

"You gave me no choice." Tori was in the driving seat now. They were already in Forks, less than half a mile from the Swan house. "You wouldn't leave. If we had stayed it would have been the end for both of us."

Charlie swallowed the lump in his throat. His head was spinning. He couldn't recall Tori knocking him out. She had moved so fast. He rubbed his temples as he tried to process everything. He knew he had been in denial about a lot of things. He knew that his attraction to the beautiful, damaged women sitting beside him had been clouding his judgement for too long now. There was something strange about her, something inexplicable. Her unusual strength, the way she moved so gracefully and silently like a cat. The odd things she came out with, the half truths, the way she kept slipping in and out of his life, turning it upside down every time.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"I told you my name." Tori had pulled into the driveway. She parked up and switched off the cruiser before turning to face him.

"Who are you really?" Charlie demanded again.

Tori was prevented from answering by the loud sounds emanating from the house. Charlie pushed open the passenger door and dragged his aching body out of the car. Loud music was pumping from the back of the house. He heard yelling, followed by raucous laughter. "What the hell?" He snarled. He ducked down and looked at Tori who was still sitting rigidly in the driver's seat. "Get out. You are coming inside with me. I'm not done talking."

"You want me to come inside." Tori said coolly. "Into the wolves den."

"Very funny. Just move." Charlie ordered her.

Tori paused for a few seconds before finally complying. Charlie had walked around to her side of the car. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him to the front porch. Tori didn't resist but allowed him to take charge. "This should prove interesting." She mumbled under her breath as she watched Charlie fumble in his pocket for the front door key to let them inside.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	71. Chapter 71

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy One**

One way to kill a party stone dead is to walk in with a deadly vampire on your arm. Which is something Charlie learned when he waltzed into the backyard with Tori. Their sudden appearance poured cold water on the festivities. The music stopped abruptly and the scowling police chief suddenly found himself faced with a group of bristling native Americans on his back porch. They looked deadly as they surrounded his daughter and Emily Young in a protective circle, with Jacob and Sam in the forefront.

"I warned you this wasn't a good idea." Tori whispered to him.

"This is my house. I can bring home who I like when I like. They are the ones treating it like party central." Charlie huffed indignantly. His eyes sought Jacob's, but his daughter's boyfriend was glaring daggers at Tori and wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" He yelled at the gathered group. "Bella?"

"Dad." Bella quavered. Her good mood had deflated like a balloon. She was struggling to believe what her eyes were telling her, that Victoria was really standing large as life on the back porch, looking imperious and not at all fazed that she was facing a pack of deadly shape shifters. Bella could feel the menace coming from the wolves. They were holding it together by a thread. Soon one of them would crack. Her eyes flicked to Lahote as being the most likely source. His eyes were blazing and he looked on the verge of shifting. "Dad, you should tell your friend to leave." She called out.

"Are you joking?" Charlie said in disbelief. "This is a complete joke, right. I mean this is only my house. This is only my food and that stereo system only belongs to me and so do those vinyl records. Those records I've spent years collecting and some of which are so rare that to replace them would cost an absolute FORTUNE!" He raged.

Seth came around the corner of the house then. He had been attracted by all the noise. He had been hiding out while he munched joyously through all his favourite treats that Bella had made. He knew that his brothers would have scoffed most of them given half a chance, so he had secretly snaffled a large portion for himself and disappeared so he could enjoy them in peace. His mouth was covered in chocolate and his t-shirt was spattered with crumbs. He strutted into the backyard grinning like a fool, all ready to rejoin the party. What he wasn't expecting was a sickening wave of vamp stench to float in his direction, or to see the cocky red head standing nonchalantly on the back porch as if she owned it. Poor Seth, being the youngest he had always struggled with control. Like magic he puffed into a giant sandy furball right before Charlie's shocked gaze. It was Tori who broke the police chief's fall as he fell backwards in a dead faint. Pieces of Seth's clothing fluttered to the ground like confetti, what remained of his boxers landing right on top of Charlie's face.

* * *

Charlie came to with a violent jerk to find Tori's lovely face gazing down at him in concern. She was using the remnants of Seth's boxers to dab at his sweaty face. "Welcome to my world." She drawled sarcastically.

"What the fuck? He...he...he..." Charlie spluttered. He had lost the ability to speak. He scrambled onto his knees, snatching the cloth from Tori as he tried to gather his befuddled thoughts. His backyard was empty now. The only people that remained were his daughter and Jacob. They were standing behind Tori, his daughter looking anxious and Jacob stern.

"Dad, are you alright?" Bella pleaded. She tried to brush past Tori to get to him but Jacob quickly nudged her behind him. She puffed irritably but stayed in place as she peered around his muscular frame.

"He's fine." Tori grabbed Charlie underneath his arms and hauled him to his feet. "See."

Charlie's head was spinning. His legs felt wobbly. He was beginning to think he was hallucinating or at least drunk. He rubbed his aching temples. "I'm having hallucinations." He said hoarsely.

"Hardly." Tori replied sarcastically. "Get a grip."

"Get a grip. Get a grip. GET A GRIP!" Charlie expostulated loudly. "How can you be so calm about this, woman? We've just seen Seth...little Seth Clearwater...explode into...into a...a great big hairy BEAST!"

"Is he always as bad as this?" Tori questioned testily as she glanced in Bella's direction.

"Worse. He's not good at coping with things he can't explain." This was such a surreal conversation to be having that Bella was just going with the flow, not quite sure how she was supposed to feel or act. Jacob was like a rigid block of stone in front of her. He was so tense that she worried that he was soon going to explode like poor Seth. He was the only one capable of staying so close to Tori as he had the most control. The others were hiding out in the trees, consoling poor Seth who was in bits.

"I wondered why you didn't tell him. Now I understand." Tori bent down in front of Charlie who had collapsed on the porch swing. He was mumbling under his breath, trying to convince himself that this was all a dream, or nightmare. She clicked her fingers in front of his face, startling him out of his stupor. "It's real. The boy is a shifter. Deal with it."

"Shifter...shifter...shifter..." Charlie echoed her over and over.

"Perhaps I should slap him. I've heard that's good for shock." Tori mused. "Except I'd probably break his skull. You do it." She stepped aside and motioned for Bella to do it.

"Stay right where you are, Bells." Jacob warned her. He glared ferociously at Tori. "What are you doing here?" He demanded bitingly.

"Not now, Jake." Bella scolded him. She walked out from behind him. "If she was going to jump me she would have done it by now."

"Dammit, Bells." Jacob was feeling frustrated. Everything was spinning out of control and he hated it. He stayed close to her side as she approached Charlie. Tori kept her distance, looking amused by the whole thing.

"Dad, can you understand me?" Bella bellowed in his face.

Charlie blinked rapidly. He stopped chanting shifter and swallowed thickly. "This isn't real." He whispered. "Tori knocked me out and now I'm hallucinating. None of this is real. I'm sorry, kiddo, but you're not real either. This is all a dream."

"I'm sorry, dad. This is not a dream." Bella's tone was rough with guilt. "I never wanted you to find out like this."

"It's not real." Charlie was proving stubborn.

Bella sighed and glanced up at Jacob for help. He shrugged, not having a clue how to help her. "Great." She muttered as she returned her attention to her confused parent. "Forgive me, dad."

"Forgive...forgive..this is a dream. Seth isn't a shifter. I'm hallucinating..."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Bella slapped Charlie hard across the face.

* * *

While Bella was inside the house with her confused parent, Jacob stayed outside with Tori. He was fuming. He could hear his brothers prowling restlessly underneath the trees. Occasionally there was a whimper from Seth, who was still feeling immensely sorry for himself. "Well you know how to make an entrance." He sneered as he glared at Tori. "What the hell were you thinking coming in here? You are lucky that most of us managed to maintain some kind of control otherwise you would be ashes right now."

"I had no choice but to risk it." Tori retorted heatedly. "We have a problem."

" _We_?" Jacob spat sarcastically. "There is no _we_. There is no alliance here."

"Maybe you should rethink that." Tori blazed as she matched his steely gaze. "Demetri is in town. You might not have heard of him, but I bet your girl certainly has. He is one of the Volturi's most trusted guards."

"Volturi?" Jacob felt a stab of fear twist his gut. Bella had told him all about the vampire royalty and her time spent in their lair when she went to save Edward's ass. She was lucky to have escaped with her life.

"I see by your face that you know who they are." Tori continued relentlessly. "It's good that you are afraid. You should be. The Volturi are deadly. When they want something, they stop at nothing to attain it. Demetri has the ability to track people through the tenors of their minds. Since no one has been able to conceal themselves from his sensing, he is a huge threat to those who wish to avoid being discovered by his masters."

Jacob ran his fingers through his tousled hair as he breathed in sharply through his nose. This was bad. Very bad. "Why are you telling me all this? Why warn me...us? What do you get out of it?"

Tori's top lip curled as her face turned hard. "I have a personal vendetta against the Volturi. I am not going to deny it. Demetri was one of the guards who were sent to round up the coven I was with at the time. My sister was part of that group and Demetri was the one who killed her right in front of me when I was on my knees begging for mercy."

Tori's revelation made Jacob sick to his stomach. There was so much he didn't know, or even understand. And this lack of knowledge was frightening. It was no coincidence that Demetri was back in town. It had to be something to do with the damn Cullens, which would lead the Volturi guard directly to Bella and to them.

"You have no reason to trust me." Tori's tone was softer now. "And perhaps you shouldn't. I am what I am and I don't claim to be any different. But right now we have a common goal. I want revenge on Demetri and you want to protect your home and Bella from him and his cohorts. I can help you. Demetri's gift is similar to James', though he is much more talented and powerful. But spending so long with James has given me an insight into how their gift works. I can be of benefit to you. I managed to escape Demetri before when he tried to execute me just like my beloved sister. You need me whether you like it or not."

Jacob hated that she was right. Inside he could hear raised voices. Charlie and Bella were arguing. He could hear Bella tearfully begging her father to calm down. It hurt his heart to hear her so upset. He noticed Tori staring at the house too, her expression was strained as she heard Charlie venting his unhappiness at his only child. It was clear that the police chief was feeling betrayed.

"Your explanation wasn't quite true, was it." Jacob continued roughly. "This is not just about vengeance. You care. You care about him."

"Do not superimpose your human emotions on me." Tori shot back angrily.

"It's too late for that." Jacob replied coolly. "You set yourself up for it when you spent so much time in human company. I'm heading inside now to support Bella while we try to convince Charlie to forgive us for keeping him in the dark all these years. If you want this alliance then I suggest you come with me and tell him the truth about who you really are. That is if I'm right and you do give a damn. If not you can leave right now. My pack will escort you out of the area and show you mercy by letting you leave unharmed. The choice is yours."

Tori glared at Jacob haughtily. He matched her steely gaze stoically, waiting for her to make a decision. Five minutes ticked by where she didn't even pretend to breathe. Then suddenly she heard Charlie yell her full name like a curse. He sounded so angry and disgusted that it snapped through her defences and made them crumble. She was the first to break the staring contest as she spun on her heel and grabbed the back door, nearly taking it off its hinges when she marched into the house. Jacob signalled to his pack to remain on full alert before following Tori inside.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! Has Jake made the right call? Is he becoming the leader he so desperately wants to avoid being? Will Seth ever live this down? Will Charlie remain too stubborn to be convinced? Is Tori an ally or not? At this point in the story do you trust her or do you think she is going to double cross them like Alice intimated in an earlier chapter? So many questions and no answers, LOL. But it would be fun to hear what you think. Until next time...**_


	72. Chapter 72

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the awesome reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Two**

Charlie wasn't calming down. In fact he was getting more and more irate. He was infuriated that he had been kept in the dark for so long. He felt betrayed by everyone, especially Billy. It was made even worse by the fact that Harry knew all along, and when he died, his widow was finally told the truth about her children's special abilities.

"Do you mean to tell me that Harry didn't even tell his own wife was what happening with her own children?" Charlie thundered. "I remember her confiding in me how worried she was about Leah and Seth's odd behaviour and how Harry kept dismissing it and not taking her concerns seriously. And now I know why. How could he keep something so vital from her? I thought I knew these people. I thought Billy and Harry were my best friends. But it's clear that I meant nothing to them at all."

"That's not true, dad." Bella pleaded as she tried to pierce through the red mist of his anger. She hadn't even told him about the vampires yet. He was struggling with finding out about the wolves, she was certain that finding out about the cold ones on top of that would tip him over the edge. "Can you please just take a breath. Sit down and really listen to what I'm trying to tell you."

But Charlie was refusing to calm down. He paced back and forth as he continued to vent. "Even you knew. You're trying to get me to accept that this is some big tribal secret and only a select few were allowed to know, but you found out. Did Jake tell you? Or was it Billy?"

"I wasn't supposed to know. I found out by accident." Bella swept her hands through her hair tiredly. She was handling this badly. Her father wasn't giving her a chance to explain properly.

Charlie stopped pacing and glared at her. "But you still knew. And just like the others you didn't or couldn't trust me with the truth."

"It wasn't my place to tell you." Bella cried in frustration. "Sometimes you are not an easy person to confide in. You can be so damn stubborn and refuse to hear or see what is right in front of your eyes."

"You sound just like Tori." Charlie spat. "Or Victoria whatever her name is. She lies too. I can't trust anyone."

Tori marched into the house then followed by Jacob. She had heard his last comment and her expression turned grim. "Your daughter is right. You refuse to see. You refuse to hear. You refuse to listen. You are a stubborn, arrogant fool."

"You of all people have no right to speak to me like that." Charlie retorted bitterly. "You are not my wife, you are not even my girlfriend. In fact I don't even know who the hell you are."

"Dad, please..." Bella begged. She could see Tori was seething. She was worried the female vamp would explode and attack Charlie for the way he was speaking to her. She couldn't believe that Jacob had let her come into the house. She turned toward him, her eyes questioning. He didn't look back at her. His whole attention was on Tori, as if assessing her every action and move.

"I told you my name." Tori revealed bitterly. "I told you my sad little story. I've told you more than I ever told anyone...even James. And this is how you repay me. I can see why none of your friends confided in you. I can see why your wife left. I made an error of judgement in thinking you were different from other men. You are just the same. Selfish, arrogant, making things all about YOU."

It was like Tori had physically slapped him. Charlie's nostrils flared, his hands clenched into fists. He was forced to turn away, his chest heaving as he tried to control his rage. He was livid. "Get out of my house and never come back here." He said through gritted teeth. "I want nothing to do with you or your twisted games."

Bella's eyes flicked to Jacob, expecting him to take Charlie at his word and escort Tori out of the house. But he didn't do that. He was still watching the red head warily, but he was holding back, waiting out her reaction to what Charlie had just said. Bella didn't understand what Jacob was doing. She was upset with him. She swallowed thickly and faced Tori herself, squaring her shoulders. "You heard my dad. It's time for you to leave."

A bitter laugh erupted from Tori's throat. She flicked her long, vibrant red hair over one shoulder and looked at Bella haughtily. "That would make it so easy for you, wouldn't it. Then you can spin the truth so it suits you. I will defend myself."

"This is none of your business." Bella retorted. "Get out."

"Bells." Jacob was by her side now. He put his hands on her shoulders. She was shaking like a leaf. He massaged them gently. "She does have a right to defend herself. And your dad needs to listen. He won't listen to us. He will listen to her."

"Who gave you the right to speak for me?" Charlie blazed. He put his hands on his hips and turned his ire on Jacob instead.

Jacob didn't retaliate. Instead he met the police chief's glare steadily. "To understand what I am, why I am, and who I am, you need to know who and what she is." He jerked his head toward Tori. "Once you understand her then you'll understand me and my pack." He slipped his arms around Bella and cuddled her against his taut body comfortingly. "Bells and I will be in the lounge so you two can talk. I suggest you really listen, Charlie. Or you will end up driving everyone away."

* * *

"Talk." Charlie snarled at Tori. He broke his promise to Bella and grabbed a beer from the fridge. He popped the lid off the bottle and sat down heavily in one of the vacant chairs.

Tori flexed her fingers. She was fighting the urge to slap him heavily around the face. She was as infuriated with him as he was with her. For some odd reason the way he was reacting, the way he spoke about her with such scorn and contempt cut her deeply. She had begun to trust this man in a big way and today he had let her down.

"Either talk or get out." Charlie snapped again. He raised the beer to his lips but before he could even taste it, Tori had slapped the bottle out of his hand. It fell onto the floor, the glass smashing into pieces. "What the fuck?"

Jacob came running back into the kitchen, alerted by the noise. His keen gaze flicked around the room, taking note of the smashed bottle on the floor. Charlie was staring at Tori in stunned silence. It seemed her swift action had pierced his anger. Jacob retreated from the room again now he was convinced that Charlie wasn't in any immediate danger. Tori had given the police chief what he needed. A short, sharp shock. Now she had his full attention.

"Sit down, shut up and listen." Tori sneered. She leaned forward, her fingers splayed on the table. Charlie settled back in his chair, eyeing her warily. "My name is Victoria. I was born in London, England in the 1550's. My mother was a scullery maid and my father was the master of the house. I was the second illegitimate child, after my sister, Anne. From my early childhood I worked as a servant. As we grew older my sister and I eventually got jobs together, Anne was a lady's maid, and I as a kitchen drudge. The master of the house we worked in was a lecherous bastard. We learned early to keep out of his way as much as possible. It was harder for me because my red hair made me more visible than most."

"This can't be true." Charlie murmured.

"I said listen." Tori commanded. "Even though our jobs kept us fed, it was getting impossible to avoid the master's wicked attentions. We fled the house when I was twelve years old. It was in the middle of one of the worst winters on record. To avoid living on the streets either starving to death or dying from the cold, we ended up working for a local pimp, so that we could get free lodging with the other working girls."

"Tori..." Charlie whispered. He reached for her hand but she snatched it away from him.

"One night Anne went out to find a client but she never came back." Tori couldn't disguise the anguish in her voice. "I had to assume she was dead. I was all alone. The pimp kept me locked up in case I disappeared like Anne, but I managed to escape. I spent two years on the streets, stealing food, and sleeping in small, hidden places. I became adept at avoiding capture. I was so good at avoiding detection that even tracker dogs couldn't trace me." She turned away from Charlie's pitying gaze and stared into the distance.

"When I was fifteen I managed to get a job as a scullery maid. It was hard work, but at least I had food in my stomach and a safe place to sleep. But then three years later my world came crashing around me when the pimp spotted me buying groceries. He tried to follow me home. I was terrified...and then Anne came crashing back into my life."

"She was alive?" Charlie rose from his seat. He walked toward Tori and tried to put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off.

"My sister was changed. She was more beautiful than the rising sun. She was strong, both physically and mentally. She lifted me up in her arms as if I weighed nothing. But her skin was as white as snow and it was cold...so cold." Tori shook her head as if trying to clear it. "It was her eyes though. Her eyes were as red as the blood that ran through my veins."

"Your skin is cold." Charlie's brow furrowed as he swallowed thickly.

"Yes." Tori turned to face him again. Her golden brown eyes blazed as she confronted him. "Are you beginning to join the dots?"

"You can't be. You...your eyes are not red. You walk out in the daylight. You...you..." Charlie faltered as he stared at her lovely face.

"Forget what you've been told or what you've read in books or seen in horror films. It's all bullshit." Tori met his stricken gaze as she carried on relentlessly. "Anne bit me and I was turned. I writhed in agony for three days. I had never felt pain like it. I begged Anne to kill me, to end my torment. But she told me it would pass and that when I was transformed I would be as strong as she was and that no man could ever take advantage of me again."

"This can't be true..." Charlie sank down into his chair again.

"You can't hide from it anymore." Tori sat down beside him, her eyes never leaving his face. "I am a vampire. I have lived for centuries. After my transformation Anne introduced me to her creator, Hilda, and two other vampires, Mary and Heidi. They became my family. We were later joined by Noela. For two years I knew what it was like to feel happy. To feel safe in a world which had treated me so badly. But like always my happiness was short lived."

"What happened?" Charlie breathed. He was transfixed by her story despite his horror of what she had endured, of what she had become.

"That is a story for another day." Tori finished brusquely. "Now you know what I am. I never claimed to be anything other than I am. I am survivor. I did what I had to."

Charlie felt his throat tighten as he tried to process what this all meant. He couldn't try and hide from the bald truth anymore. He had been stubbornly refusing to see the signs, he had deliberately closed his mind to all of it, preferring to be ignorant, wanting to be. "The Cullens...they are vampires, too."

"Yes." Tori said simply.

"And my daughter knew."

"Yes."

"It was the Cullens who killed James?" Charlie questioned.

"Yes."

"That's why you wanted revenge."

"At first. Now I have other reasons." Tori met his troubled gaze.

"Have you killed people? Have you...have you drank..." Charlie couldn't continue.

"Yes to both questions. I told you I did what I had to do to survive. But now I have found another way."

"You stopped?" Charlie asked incredulously.

"No, I told you I had changed my diet. Animal blood is tolerable." Tori said coolly.

"And Bella...she..."

"Your daughter must tell her own story as must her lover." Tori interrupted him. "Now I have to go." She made as if to leave but when Charlie said her name, she paused. "What?" She said sharply.

"I'm not like those other men. I'm not." Charlie replied roughly.

"I know that. I only said it make you see." Tori's tone was almost tender before she caught herself, frowned, then her lovely face hardened. "Tell Jacob Black that I will be in touch. I kept my end of the bargain. Now he must keep his." She finished coldly before finally taking her leave.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	73. Chapter 73

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Three**

When Charlie walked into the lounge he found his daughter sitting on the sofa tucked under Jacob's arm. She had clearly been crying. He could still see the tracks of the tears on her face. "I'm sorry." He apologised gruffly as he pulled up a chair opposite them. "I'm ready to listen now."

"But you might not like what you hear." Bella said listlessly. She wiped her hands over her face, before tucking her hair behind her ears.

"It's okay, Bells." Jacob comforted her. "You can do this."

"Will you stay with me?" Bella pleaded.

"Yes." Jacob promised. He touched her face gently.

"I would prefer to speak to my daughter alone if you don't mind." Charlie interjected roughly.

"Bells asked me to stay and I will." Jacob looked directly at the police chief, showing that he was serious about staying and would not be persuaded otherwise.

Charlie sighed wearily. He sat forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "Alright, son. Alright."

Bella huddled against Jacob, taking comfort from his solid presence. She was glad that Charlie wasn't going to fight them on this. She cleared her throat. "Where do you want me to start?"

"I don't know." Charlie emitted another deep sigh. "Did you always know what he was?" He still couldn't say Edward's name, even now.

"Not at the beginning."

"When?"

"A few weeks after we met. His strange behaviour had me questioning things, then Edward saved me from Tyler's truck. He literally stopped it smashing in to me by pushing on it with his hand and shoving it away." Bella revealed. "If he hadn't acted to save me I would be dead right now."

"Jeez." Charlie raised his eyes to the ceiling as he blinked back tears. The thought of what could have been if Cullen hadn't intervened that day made his heart constrict in his chest. "I guess that makes me hate him a little less."

Bella felt Jacob's fingers wind around hers. She guessed he was feeling the same as Charlie about Edward's impulsive act that day. None of them would be here now if he hadn't gone against his natural instincts. "When he saved me it just made me more determined to find out more about him, it became like an obsession. The more he pulled back the more I pushed."

"You're telling me he tried to stay away from you." Charlie asked suspiciously.

Bella was about to agree with that statement when she remembered that wasn't the exact truth. Edward had said he was staying away when in reality he had been coming into her room of a night watching her sleep. "Edward tried but he...he struggled." She glanced up at Jacob anxiously. She knew this must be difficult for him to hear. She had been selfish to ask him to stay, but when she looked up into his expressive eyes, all she saw was the deep love he had for her. Reassured she returned her attention to Charlie. "By then it was all too late. He couldn't keep away. He worried that I was a danger magnet and that I needed his protection."

"A danger magnet?" Charlie questioned, raising his eyebrows in disbelief. "You lived your whole life without attracting trouble. It was only when you met him that it seemed to find you."

"You remember that shopping trip I went on to Port Angeles with Jessica and Angela."

"You were looking for prom dresses."

"Not me...they were. I didn't want to go to prom."

"But you went with him." Charlie sounded confused.

"Because he wanted me to." Bella shook her head as she tried to get her story back on point. "In Port Angeles I was attacked by a group of guys. They were...I don't like to think what they were planning to do. But Edward came out of nowhere and chased them off."

"What the hell?" Charlie exploded as he rose out of his seat.

"You never told me about that." Jacob said to Bella. He pulled her into his side protectively.

"It was so long ago. With everything else that was happening I kind of forgot about it. Edward took care of it. But it was also the same night that things changed, that he admitted he couldn't stay away from me anymore." Bella squeezed Jacob's fingers, hoping for understanding. She got it as he squeezed hers back and smiled tenderly.

"Why did you never tell me about the attack? I could have done something. I could have had them arrested." Charlie was beside himself.

"I couldn't tell you." Bella was getting distressed.

"Why couldn't you?" Charlie persisted. "I'm your dad. I'm the one who's supposed to protect you, but I can't do that if you never tell me these things."

Tears pooled in Bella's eyes. She bit down on her lower lip as she tried to keep a lid on her emotions. "I couldn't tell you because you were never around."

"What?" Charlie froze, his jaw pulsing.

"I came here to live with you but nothing changed. You were still absent most of the time. You were either at work, or out fishing with Billy or Harry." Bella saw comprehension dawn on Charlie's face. His expression crumpled and he fell back into his chair like she'd punched him in the gut, which metaphorically speaking, she just had.

"I thought you liked being...you said you were fine. I asked. Whenever I checked in with you, you said you liked the way things were." Charlie felt a stabbing pain in his chest. "But you weren't fine..."

"I was lonely." Bella admitted aloud for the first time. She was holding on to Jacob's hand so tightly that an average human wouldn't have been able to tolerate it. Her knuckles turned white. "I felt vulnerable too. After living with mom all my life and putting up with her constant crisis, and then moving here, to this quiet place where all it seemed to do was rain. When Edward saved me it felt good. It felt good that someone was out there looking out for me. I felt wanted...important..." She fumbled for the right words to try and explain how she had felt back then.

"I made you feel like you weren't important?" Charlie whispered. "You have always been the most important person in my life. Always. I love you, Bells. I can't believe you thought otherwise."

"But you never told me." Bella replied faintly. "You've always been so closed off that I couldn't read what you were thinking. Mom was like a needy child and you were so distant. Is it any wonder I fell under the Cullens spell so quickly? They were a family, a unit. They were willing to let me be a part of it. And I wanted that so badly. I wanted it so much, to be with Edward that much that I was willing to sacrifice my life to get it."

"To become one of them. A vampire?" Charlie cried in horror as his fingers sank into his hair. His chest was so tight with guilt that he could barely breathe. "I neglected you so much and made you feel so worthless, that you were desperate enough to consider ending your life."

"No." Bella pleaded. "You are misunderstanding me. You didn't drive me to anything. I was in deep. Edward and his family had become my whole world. I had pushed everyone away by that point, my friends, you and mom. Everyone. There were other things going on. When James attacked me..."

"James?" Charlie said sharply as his eyes blazed with anger. "James attacked you.? Tori's James?"

"I thought you knew this." Bella replied warily. "I thought she spoke about this with you."

"She said a few things, but I was too stupid to pick up on it or put all the pieces together." Charlie was disgusted with himself. "He was the one who inflicted those injuries on you. I can't believe I fell for that bullshit story the Cullens fed me. I was suspicious, but you backed them up. Where the hell were they when he went after you? Why did you run, Bella? You came home in a state that night and said all those things to me. I thought you hated me, I thought..." He was too choked up to carry on.

"Easy, Charlie." Jacob warned the older man. Bella was shaking like a leaf in his arms. She hadn't told her father the worst of it yet. Jacob cupped her face in his warm hands. He could see she wasn't coping. It was taking its toll on her having to relive one of the most frightening nights of her life. She was questioning everything that had happened, her decisions, the Cullens. It was all too much. She was incapable of having a rational conversation with Charlie because there was too many fraught emotions involved on both sides. "I'll tell him the rest." He suggested gently. "Take a break. Go and see Lee."

Tears welled in Bella's eyes. She closed her lids, the tears sliding out anyway and trickling down her cheeks. She rested her forehead against his for a second, before nodding in agreement. "Thank you." She murmured. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Jacob reluctantly released her face and watched her gather her strength to leave the room.

"I'm sorry, dad." Bella apologised sadly as she passed her father. She put a hand on his shoulder and Charlie placed his over hers for a moment. Then taking a deep breath she left the room.

"By your face I can tell that there's more." Charlie tensed as he studied Jacob's grim expression.

"James lured Bella to the dance studio by tricking her into thinking that he had captured Renee and was holding her hostage. Alice Cullen and her mate were supposed to have been watching over Bella, keeping her safe, but for some inexplicable reason she managed to get away from them. She went there knowing that she probably wouldn't survive. But she was willing to risk that to save her mother." Jacob watched Charlie crumple in front of him but he didn't hold back. "He tortured Bella. He hurt her. But you don't know the extent of her injuries. James did more than just break her bones, he bit Bella."

Charlie's head was pounding. An agonised cry left his lips as he pressed his hands to the side of his head. "No...no...no." He slipped off his chair and fell onto his knees in front of Jacob, looking up at him in despair. "This is my fault. All of it. How is she not... if he bit her..."

"You have Edward Cullen to thank for that again." Jacob continued bitterly. "He sucked the venom out and saved her life, even though he and his damn coven put her in danger in the first place."

"My god." Charlie fell back against his chair and raised his knees to his chest. His dark brown eyes were wide and staring. "Tori knew all this. She knew this!" His fingers sank into his hair again.

"You have to get a grip, Charlie. For Bella's sake get your shit together." Jacob snapped at him. "We've all made mistakes and made some shitty decisions. You need to own yours like I do mine. Like Bella does hers. Because there is much more you don't know. What I've told you is just the beginning. You can't fall apart, we don't have time for that. Do you understand?"

Charlie took a deep shuddering breath to try and calm himself down. Jacob sounded so much older than his years. His gaze was imperious, commanding. "I understand." He muttered as he pulled himself to his feet and sat back down in his chair. "Tell me everything. I promise I won't fall apart again."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	74. Chapter 74

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Four**

Bella sat wrapped up in a thick jacket on the porch swing with Leah beside her. The she-wolf was wearing a thin tank top teamed with denim shorts. Bella had to laugh at the irony. She was dressed for winter while her friend was dressed as if it was a balmy sunny day. Just like their clothes the two girls were polar opposites, circumstances had thrown them together, but somehow despite their differences they had forged a friendship.

"I feel such a coward for letting Jake handle everything." Bella confided to Leah.

"Sometimes it's better to take a step back. You are too close to the situation and your dad has hardly been rational. Jake acting as an intermediary is the best way to get Charlie to listen." Leah turned her face up to the setting sun. It was getting dark now. The sky was bathed in red, the sun sank slowly below the horizon, taking the last remnants of the long day with it.

There was a rustling amongst the trees at the bottom of the garden. Bella noticed Leah tense for a few seconds, before she relaxed again. "It's just Sethy." She said in a low voice to Bella. "He feels so guilty about what happened. Can you do me a favour and tell him that it's not his fault."

Bella was appalled that the young shifter was blaming himself for losing control. She didn't blame him in the slightest, in fact she was surprised that he was the only one who had transformed when faced with their mortal enemy. "I can't believe he feels that way."

"Well he does." Leah whispered. "And it's made worse by his little crush on you. He's always trying to impress you and this just mortified him."

Bella blushed at Leah's reference to her brother's little crush. She was aware of it, but knew that it was a harmless thing. When he matured and started mixing with other girls his age it would fade away like it never existed. "I'll tell him." She promised.

Seth approached them warily. He had gone home to get a change of clothes. Unfortunately his mom had encountered him sneaking into his room stark naked and had demanded to know what the hell had happened. He couldn't lie to his mom, so he had been forced to tell her about his mishap. Sue was shocked to hear that he had phased right in front of Charlie and had insisted on accompanying him back to Forks so she could speak to the police chief.

"I'm sorry." He apologised as soon as he laid eyes on Bella. His cheeks burnt with shame.

"Sorry for what?" Bella pretended to act all confused. She noticed Leah roll her eyes at her bad acting.

Seth gulped nervously. He hopped from one foot to the other. "You know for...um...phasing like that. I didn't mean to. I really didn't." He babbled nervously.

He looked so young and innocent in his earnest desire to appease her that Bella felt a lump lodge in her throat. It was obvious he had been beating himself up about his lack of control, and probably endured constant teasing about it from his brothers. "Oh, that." Bella shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't give it another thought. I haven't."

"Really?" Seth perked up, his expression turning hopeful. "You mean you're not mad?"

"Of course not." Bella smiled at him fondly.

Seth breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad." His whole posture relaxed. "I thought you would hate me forever for letting the cat out of the bag."

"Don't you mean wolf, Sethy?" Leah teased him.

"Oh, yeah, ha ha." Seth shot an irritated glance in his sister's direction. "Anyway I'm sure mom will smooth things over." He said carelessly.

"Mom?" Leah questioned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"When I went home to get some new clothes she caught me climbing through my bedroom window." Seth blushed again at the memory. "And well you know what mom can be like. She's worse than you when it comes to finding out what she wants. So I gave in and told her."

"WHAT?" Leah exploded. She glared at her younger brother as she rose to her feet. "YOU ARE UNBELIEVABLE. PLEASE TELL ME SHE'S NOT HERE."

"Um..." Seth was taken aback by Leah's overreaction, as was Bella.

"Hey, it's cool if your mom's here." Bella interjected as she jumped to Seth's defence. "Maybe she can help Jake give my dad a better understanding of what..."

"Girlfriend, you have no idea." Leah exclaimed. "There is no way in hell my mom, who I love dearly by the way, will help anything. She'll take over. It's just her way."

Before she had even finished her sentence the back door was shoved open and a harried Jacob appeared on the back porch. Sue was shooing him out of the house with the force of a hurricane. "Let me deal with the old fool." She said sternly when he tried to protest. She turned her beady eyes onto the others. "Scram all of you. I mean it. Give us some privacy. The chief needs his ass kicked and I'm the best one to do it."

"Mom, don't you dare interfere. Let us handle it." Leah snapped heatedly at her mother.

Sue narrowed her eyes as she met her daughter's steely gaze. Her hands went to her hips and she tapped one foot on the floor impatiently. "Don't you order me about, young woman. May I remind you that I'm the parent. I'm older and wiser than you."

"Yeah, older." Leah retorted sarcastically. "I wouldn't say wiser."

Sue Clearwater bristled at this comment. She glared at her daughter like an angry fishwife. "Don't butt heads with me, young lady. You'll lose. Now get out of here. All of you. I mean it."

"Ugh." Leah growled in frustration. "Jake, are you just gonna accept this?" She demanded.

Jacob backed away from the two warring women. In that moment mother and daughter looked exactly alike. It was clear where Leah had inherited her fiery temper from. Sue had entered the Swan house like a tornado and scuppered any chance he had of continuing his rational discussion with Charlie. He had been making progress too. "Let's all have a breather." He suggested as he tried to calm things down.

"Good idea. Go and breathe somewhere else." Sue ordered. "Go on. All of you." She stared them all down until she met Bella's astonished gaze. Her expression softened slightly. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on him. I promise. Go and have something to eat at the diner or something. You've all had an overwhelming day." She fumbled in her purse for some money and chucked some notes in Seth's direction. Her son caught it easily. "Order what you want."

"Anything?" Seth asked eagerly as he let his stomach rule his head.

"Within reason." Sue warned her son before returning her attention to Leah again. "Now make sure he doesn't drown himself in sugar. You know how hyper he gets." She wagged a finger at her daughter.

"He's not five anymore." Leah replied in exasperation.

"Where food is concerned your brother is still like a toddler." Sue declared pointedly. "No offence, Sethy." She said in an aside to her son.

"None taken." Seth was waving the bundle of notes around like a child at Christmas. "Let's go guys."

Leah cuffed her brother around the back of the head and he glared at her mutinously. "We'll give you two hours then we'll be back." She told her mother firmly.

"That's long enough." Sue spun around on her heel and marched back into the house.

"What just happened?" Bella asked in bewilderment as she felt Jacob slip his arm across her shoulders.

"My mother happened." Leah muttered irritably. "I'm sorry, Jake." She apologised on Sue's behalf. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"I think we needed a break. Charlie was getting overwhelmed again. And I am hungry. I can't remember the last time I ate anything." Jacob rubbed his stomach as it began to rumble.

"You ate two hours and fifty four minutes ago exactly." Bella nudged him with her shoulder playfully. Despite the seriousness of the situation she was glad of the break too. Maybe talking to Sue would help Charlie see another side to things. He wasn't the only one who had been kept in the dark. Sue had too for a long time. It was only Harry's death that had forced the elders to finally permit her to know the truth as she took her husband's place on the council.

"Can we go now?" Seth whined. He was already planning to order half the menu.

Leah cuffed him around the back of his head again as she took the lead and walked around the side of the house, with the others following close behind.

* * *

"Jake has explained about the pack." Charlie growled at Sue. He wasn't pleased at her interference. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but Sue had barged in and taken over.

"Have you spoken to Billy?" Sue demanded.

"Not yet. There hasn't been time. He's still at Cora's." Charlie was still feeling bitter toward his friend. Even though Jacob had done his best to explain his father's reasons, he still couldn't help feeling betrayed.

"You're allowed to feel angry with him." Sue said as she bustled around the kitchen and made them both some coffee. "I still am. Not just at him but Harry, too."

Charlie paused as he saw Sue's shoulder's slump. That must have been a hard admission for her to make. "I'm sorry, Sue." His irritation toward her died as the realisation sank in that she had been kept in the dark by those closest to her just like he had. "I wish Harry was here so I could yell at him."

"So do I." Sue's dark eyes, so like Leah's, glistened with tears. She passed Charlie his coffee and sat down beside him on one of the vacant chairs. "You know it was so hard to grieve for him when I was so full of pent up fury about the lies he'd told me. This enormous thing was happening to our children and he didn't tell me. His loyalty to the tribe was greater than his loyalty to me, his wife."

Charlie swallowed thickly. He reached out to Sue and placed his hand over hers. "I'm sure it wasn't like that. Harry would have struggled."

"I don't care about his struggles." Sue snapped spitefully. "He shouldn't have kept me in the dark. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. I should have been prepared. The outcome could have been so different if he had confided in me. I feel like I didn't know him at all."

It was strange to be suddenly defending them after feeling utterly betrayed himself only a short while ago, but he couldn't bear to hear Sue's lack of faith in her husband. He knew that Harry adored his wife and children. In his own way he had been trying to protect them. "Ignorance is bliss they say." He said gruffly. "Would you have believed him if he had told you?"

"Would you?" Sue threw his question back at him.

"No." It was hard for Charlie to admit. "Billy tried to tell me a little while ago, actually. But I wouldn't listen. The signs were there but I refused to see them."

"It's not fair, Charlie." Sue's coffee mug wobbled in her hand as she raised it to her lips. "I loved that man, but all my memories of him are tainted because of all the lies."

"I'm sorry, Sue." Charlie edged forward and touched her face gently.

Sue put her mug down and gazed into his sympathetic eyes. They were a lighter brown than her Harry's, the teasing glint that always characterised her husband's was missing from Charlie's. But in that moment she was glad of the difference. Her deep resentment toward her dead husband made her act impulsively. Before Charlie could react Sue leaned forward and kissed him.

 _ **A/N-yep, this story is definitely turning into a soap opera. Is that good or bad? Thanks for reading!**_


	75. Chapter 75

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Five**

"I can't believe you ate Bella's portion as well, Sethy." Leah shook her head in disbelief. "You are lucky she's so understanding."

"I don't know how it happened." Seth's face was hot with shame.

"What do you mean you don't know how it happened?" Leah questioned in exasperation. "You opened your mouth and shoved the food in. End of."

"Her food got mixed up with mine somehow." Seth whined. He glanced over his shoulder at Bella, who was tucked under Jacob's arm. She caught him looking and smiled encouragingly.

"Seth, her food was sitting right in front of her. She turned to talk to Jacob and the next thing any of us knew her plate was sitting empty in front of you." Leah was getting a kick out of teasing her younger brother. "Are you saying it magically levitated across the table and landed smack bang in front of you?"

"Give the kid a break, Lee." Jacob laughed as Seth's cheeks turned rosy. "It happens to the best of us. There's no harm done. Bells shared some of mine."

Bella snickered at this statement. Jacob's version of sharing was totally different to hers. "Yeah, thanks for the buttered roll."

"You had more than that." Jacob tried to recollect exactly what she had eaten. "Didn't you? Please tell me you did."

"Well I did in the beginning." Bella tapped her chin as she pretended to give the subject serious consideration. "But somehow my food magically levitated into your mouth just like my plate did with Seth."

Leah burst out laughing at Jacob's disgruntled expression. "Nice one, girlfriend." The two girls high-fived each other.

"Very funny." Jacob pretended to be annoyed but he was just glad to see Bella so relaxed and happy after everything that had happened. He had the Clearwater's to thank for that. Leah and Seth's antics had kept them in fits of laughter throughout the meal.

"I hope Charlie's survived my mom's ticking off." Leah sobered up as they approached the Swan house. They had been gone exactly two hours like they had promised Sue.

"I'm sure he's fine." Bella tried to sound hopeful. There was so much that Charlie had to absorb. She guessed he would have more questions for her and she was dreading having to answer them.

"He was over the initial shock when we left." Jacob tried to ease Bella's worries. He felt her tense up they reached the house. "Don't stress." He said softly as he ducked down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"I'll try." Bella sucked in a deep breath to give herself some courage.

Before they entered the house Cora's car drew up. She was bringing Billy back home. Jacob reluctantly released Bella and ran over to the car to help his dad into his wheelchair. "Hey, guys." Billy called out to them all. "What have I missed?" He was still ignorant of the fact that Charlie was now privy to all the secrets.

"I've been calling you. Did you have your cell turned off?" Jacob felt his irritation with his father return as he transferred his father from the car into the wheelchair.

"Oh, the battery must have died." Billy gave his son a sheepish smile but Jacob didn't return it. "Is everything alright?"

"Charlie knows." Jacob whispered harshly to his father when Cora was out of earshot.

Billy was confused for a second. "Knows what?"

Jacob scowled. "Get a clue, dad."

Billy's eyes widened as realisation sank in. His gaze flicked to Cora who was looking at him curiously. He had to keep his act together so as not to alarm her. He cleared his throat and forced a smile on to his face. "Thanks for dropping me home, love." He said to her.

Cora didn't look convinced. She ducked down next to him and checked his face anxiously. "Are you sure you're feeling okay? You took your meds on time I'm sure of it."

Billy reached for her hand and enclosed it in his own. He was touched by her deep concern for his wellbeing. "I can assure you that I'm perfectly fine. You've been taking such good care of me. I love you for it."

Cora gasped at this declaration. It was the first time Billy had expressed his love for her openly like that. Her fingers rose to her lips as she tried to contain her smile. "I love you, too." She whispered before leaning in for a kiss.

Jacob had to turn away at this affectionate display. He was caught off guard just like Cora. He knew that things had escalated between them but not to this extent. Billy had never mentioned that he was in love with her. Jacob struggled to deal with this latest twist in his father's love life. He knew he should have been expecting it, but it was still difficult to process. Cora could become his stepmom and while he liked her, the thought that someone was replacing Sarah in their lives was still emotionally raw.

"Hey." Bella was by his side instantly. She knew Jacob so well, she could read every subtle shift in his facial expressions. He was hurting. His pain was her pain. She felt it just like he did. "It's okay to be upset." She whispered to him.

"I wish he'd given me some warning." Jacob failed to hide his bitterness.

"I know." Bella took his hand and held it against her face. She twisted her head and kissed his warm palm. "Maybe he didn't know himself until that moment."

"Maybe." Jacob cradled the back of her head and drew her closer. "It's just hard but I'll get over it."

"Cora's been good for him." Bella pointed out.

"Yeah, she's been taking good care of him. I'm grateful for that. It's eased some of the burden on me." Jacob's face relaxed as he focused on the positives. "And she makes dad happy."

"In the end that's all that matters." Bella replied, smiling tenderly.

"Yeah." Jacob agreed as he wrapped his arms around Bella and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

They waited outside so Billy could wave Cora off. Her face was glowing as she climbed into her car and blew Billy a kiss. He pretended to catch it and she wound down the window, laughing. "I'll call you after my shift ends tonight." She called out to him.

"I'll be waiting by the phone." Billy teased.

Cora smiled at him fondly before directing her gaze toward Bella. "I'll see you for your shift tomorrow morning, Bella."

Bella had forgotten she had been rota'd in for the breakfast rush. She smiled weakly and waved at Cora as the older woman finally drove away. When she was gone everyone gathered together in a group. Billy began to fire questions at his son, demanding to know why they had told Charlie the secrets without discussing it with him first. Father and son exchanged some harsh words before a shame faced Seth interrupted them to admit that it was his fault.

"It wasn't Seth's fault." Leah defended her brother. She was getting irritated with the tribal chief. He wasn't giving Jacob a chance to explain things properly as he kept interrupting. She could see that Jacob was losing his cool and so was Bella on his behalf. "If you hadn't been hanging with your lady friend and bothered to keep your phone charged than you would know what happened. Instead we were the ones left to deal with the fall out. But that's not unusual is it."

"Watch your tone." Billy barked at her.

"Maybe you should watch yours." Jacob said bitingly before the she-wolf could issue a retort. "Everything Lee said is true. We've had words about this before. You promised to be more aware of others feelings but again you didn't bother checking in."

"I told you my phone battery died." Billy replied defensively.

"That's not an excuse, dad." Jacob snapped. "Whether it was dead or not you still could have used the landline to check in with us."

"The same could be said for you." Billy threw back at him. "Why didn't you just call Cora's apartment?"

"I left you messages." Jacob ran his fingers restlessly through his tousled hair. Billy was being infuriating. "I've been too busy dealing with the crisis here to chase you."

"You don't seem to have been dealing with it. Charlie isn't even with you. Where is he?" Billy frowned darkly, still stubbornly refusing to give Jacob any credit. He was angry that he had been blindsided and fearful of the police chief's reaction.

"Sue's with him." Bella interjected hurriedly. She could see fine tremors running along Jacob's arms. He was livid with Billy and on the verge of shifting. It was sad how easily that his father managed to get under Jacob's skin and make him lose his cool. Things had been getting better lately, but Billy's selfish reaction was another setback.

"You left him with Sue?" Billy was incredulous. He knew how Sue felt about things. She may have been forced to accept the changes in her life but that didn't mean that she was happy about them. Now she had taken her place on the council she spent her time haranguing Old Quil and the other elders about each and every decision they made. She was still feeling bitter about being lied to so for long and he knew that she held a great deal of resentment toward Harry, who was no longer around to defend himself.

"Why is that a problem?" Leah sniped. "At least mom was willing to step in unlike you."

"I've already told you to watch your tone with me, young lady." Billy warned Leah again.

"Let's just calm down and talk about this rationally." Bella got in the middle of everyone and tried to stop the confrontation tuning into a full blown argument. "Jake?" She looked toward him for help.

Jacob met her troubled gaze and nodded sharply. He used his iron hard control to shove his resentment and anger deep down inside before facing his father with a stoical mask. "Charlie was understandably very angry and betrayed at first, but when we left he was in a better frame of mind to listen. He will have questions for you and you must be ready to answer them."

Billy swallowed thickly. He knew his overreaction had hurt his son. He had panicked when Jacob had first told him that Charlie had found out, and had lashed out at those closest to him because he was scared of losing his friend if Charlie didn't accept his explanation. He knew the police chief well enough to know that he would see this as an unforgivable betrayal. "I'll be ready." He muttered.

"Good." Jacob said coldly. He turned away from his chastened father and faced Bella. His expression softened when he looked at her sweet face. She was so worried for him. He took her hand and felt comforted. "Let's go inside."

* * *

It was Charlie who heard the front door opening. He rose up, disturbing Sue, who had her head resting on his bare chest. "What's wrong?" She said groggily as she rubbed her eyes.

"I think they're back." Charlie whispered to her.

Sue gazed at him in alarm. "Seth and Lee mustn't see me here like this." She panicked.

"I'll go down first." Charlie said roughly as he rolled out of bed and grabbed his clothes. "Go in the bathroom and pretend you've been washing up or something. I'll stall them." He hopped on one foot as he dragged on his jeans. He heard the click of his bedroom door as Sue slipped into the adjoining bathroom.

Running his fingers through his messy hair, Charlie tried to compose himself. He took a deep breath as he smoothed down his wrinkled shirt and finished buttoning his jeans. "Act normal. Act normal." He chanted in his head as he descended the stairs, completely oblivious to the fact that his acting would be pointless when the wolves superior senses would alert them to exactly what had been going on.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading! No secrets when you're a wolf, huh?**_


	76. Chapter 76

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Six**

Bella didn't know what was going on when she first entered the house. Her father was coming down the stairs looking dishevelled. His shirt was half untucked and his hair messy. He hadn't looked like that when they'd left. She worried that he had some kind of blazing row with Sue and was just about to ask him where the Clearwater matriarch was when she noticed Leah and Jacob tense simultaneously. Their nostrils were flared as if they had smelled something unpleasant. Seth was obviously catching the same scent but he appeared confused. His gaze flicked toward his sister anxiously.

Then Leah exploded. She charged toward Charlie, her lovely face contorted into an angry snarl. Jacob raced after her, catching the angry she-wolf around the waist and yanking her away from the shocked police chief. But he wasn't quick enough to stop her slapping Charlie hard around the face.

"Dammit, Lee." Jacob cursed as he hauled the enraged she-wolf out of the house. Tears were streaming down her face as she spat curses at Charlie, who was nursing his reddened cheek in his hand. Leah's handprint was embedded in his skin. "I have to take her outside." Jacob yelled to Bella as he dragged Leah out of the house.

Seth was trembling like a leaf. He looked despairingly at Charlie and then Bella as he finally caught on to what was going on. "My dad." He whispered as tears pooled in his eyes and coated his thick lashes. "Why would you do that?" He asked Charlie in a hurt tone. "Why?"

"Son, I...it's not..." Charlie had no excuse to give. He reached out to Seth but the young shifter backed away from him, before spinning on his heel and racing out of the house after his sister. Charlie stood at the bottom of the stairs, his pleading gaze finding his daughter's. Bella stared back at him grimly. "Bells, it's not what you think..."

"There is nothing you can say to defend yourself this time." Bella said in disgust. Sue Clearwater appeared fully dressed at the top of the stairs. She knew they had been discovered. Her legs wobbled and she held onto the stair rail as she staggered down the steps. When she reached the bottom she had to pass Charlie. She couldn't even look at him she felt too ashamed of herself. She said nothing to Bella either as she fumbled for her shoes and left the house to find her devastated children.

The only ones left were Charlie, Bella and Billy. So far Jacob's father had kept quiet. He watched father and daughter warily. He saw Bella's fingers twitching as if she was fighting the urge to slap Charlie like Leah had. Instead she stood her ground and stared at her father in bitter disappointment. "You know how hard Leah and Seth have struggled since Harry died. They were finally getting into a good place and you do this to them. Sue was in a vulnerable state and you took advantage..."

"She kissed me." Charlie tried to defend himself, but he knew his argument was weak. He rubbed a hand over his face wearily. "No, you're right." He continued roughly. "This is all on me. I let things go too far."

Bella felt her eyes brim with tears. She was at her lowest ebb and felt bitterly disappointed in her only remaining parent. She was under so much pressure, dealing with enormous stress because of the Edward situation and now this. It was just another drama she didn't need on top of everything else. She had been expecting so much from Charlie. Bella understood he'd had a big bombshell dropped on him but the way he had reacted to everything just made it all the more clear that they had been right to hide the truth from him. He couldn't cope with it and was making disastrous decisions, sleeping with Sue Clearwater when she was still emotionally vulnerable being one of them.

"I need some space."

"What does that mean?" Charlie asked fearfully.

"I'm moving out for a while." Bella tried to bypass him but Charlie got in her way. "Please don't stop me." She pleaded with her distraught father. "I can't talk to you right now because we both might say something we regret."

"Bells." Charlie whispered brokenly as she slipped around him and ran up the stairs to her room so she could pack.

"She can stay at mine." Billy finally spoke. His expression was a mixture of empathy and frustration as he looked up at his friend. "I've screwed up so many times myself lately that I have no right to judge. You've been a good friend to me, chief. More so than I deserved. I'm sorry I kept such a big secret from you. But I had my reasons..." He shook his head and sighed. "I'll send Jake back in to collect our stuff. Maybe space will be good for all of us." Sighing again, Billy spun his chair around and left the house, leaving Charlie staring despairingly after him.

* * *

When Bella got outside the Clearwaters had gone. She was upset that she hadn't even had a chance to talk to Leah or Seth. They must hate her now. She dropped her bag and walked right into Jacob's open arms. She didn't know what she would do if she didn't have him to cling to. He was her port in a storm.

"It's gonna be alright, Bells." Jacob said huskily.

"How?" Bella closed her eyes tight in anguish. "Poor Leah and Seth. They must be so broken up about this. I am so angry with dad. They must hate me."

"Hey, don't think for one second that they hold any animosity toward you. Lee even warned me before she left with her mom and Seth not to let you shoulder the blame. She is not upset with you whatsoever. This is on Charlie and Sue. It was their decision to make. You played no part in it." Jacob reassured her. "Everything is just fucked up right now, but it will get better. Let's get you settled in to our house and then we can take a walk over to the Clearwater's so you can see them yourself, okay."

Bella raised her head and opened her eyes again, smiling bitterly. "I wish I had your optimism."

"It's not optimism, it's seeing the truth of the situation." Jacob picked up Bella's bag and threw it over his shoulder before taking her hand in his. "Come on, let's go home to La Push."

* * *

Charlie drove aimlessly, not heading in any particular direction. His vision was blurred with tears. He had never felt so lonely and forsaken in his life. He felt rejected, like an outcast. He was isolated from everyone who cared about him and he knew he had no one else to blame but himself. As he wandered the dark roads alone he tried to analyse his actions, trying to understand why he had done what he did. It was obvious Sue was emotionally vulnerable. She was hurting because she couldn't understand Harry's motivations when he failed to confide in her about things. Yes, she had made the first move and kissed him, but he should have stopped it. He tried to remember why he hadn't, why he had let things escalate the way they had. His feelings were all over the place. Maybe he was seeking comfort in a warm body like she was, both of them trying to erase the people they loved who had hurt them from their minds. It was a physical thing, a momentary act of madness, but the resulting fallout was epic.

It was two in the morning when he reached the marina in Port Angeles. He had been heading in this direction all along, but hadn't wanted to admit it to himself. He parked the cruiser and walked slowly toward the dark jetty. He could see the moon reflected in the dark water. For once the sky was clear of clouds. He sat down on the edge of the small pier and took his shoes and socks off, letting his feet dangle in the cold water.

"This is a surprise." Tori came out of nowhere. Somehow Charlie wasn't shocked to see her. Her vibrant hair was done up in a twist at the back of her head, leaving a few curls to frame her lovely face. She was dressed in a black trouser suit, teamed with a silky white shirt. He wondered where she got such smart attire and why she looked so formal. He watched as she kicked off her high heels and slipped her feet into the water as she settled beside him. "I guessed you would come looking for me here."

"You knew more than me." Charlie said grudgingly. "Why are you dressed up to the nines?"

"I attended a special dinner party thrown in Doctor Cullen's honour by the Seattle children's trust. His mate was there, supporting him like the good actress she is. They make such a charming couple, everyone has fallen under their spell. The trust has just increased funding in his department just on the proviso that he stays with the hospital for another year. They love him there, he has everyone eating out of his hands." Her face turned hard. "I am afraid my dramatic entrance rather spoiled the night for him."

"I didn't know he was still at the hospital. I thought after we confronted him that he left." Charlie was troubled by this news. "What did you do?"

"Nothing that raised any suspicions. I have to be careful. But my presence there made him uncomfortable and shows him that I have not given up and am playing the long game." Tori said severely. She looked to the side at Charlie, studying him carefully. "You are overwrought. I take it you spoke to your daughter."

"Not so much." Charlie took a deep breath as he shook his head to clear it. Tori's intoxicating presence was overwhelming. "I screwed up."

"How?" Tori raised her eyebrows expectantly.

Charlie frowned as he swirled his feet in the cold water. He was starting to lose feeling in his toes. "I slept with Sue Clearwater."

A hiss escaped Tori's lips as she rose abruptly to her feet. She immediately put distance between them. " _And you told me you were not like those other men. You've proved yourself false already."_ She sneered.

"I made an error in judgement. You can't compare me to those bastards who abused you in the past. We're not together. I haven't betrayed you so don't get pissy with me." Charlie yelled as he pulled his feet out of the water. "You've got no right to judge me. I should hate you for what you were planning to do to my daughter, for what you already did do. It's your damn fault I slept with Sue because I was trying to erase you from my mind, to get you out of my head once and for all. But it didn't work. I'm right back here where I started. My daughter hates me, I've alienated everyone I care about all for nothing."

His admission caught Tori off guard. Her expression turned thoughtful. "It was never my intention for any of this to happen. I was hurting when I went after your daughter. You made me see the truth of the situation. So, our meeting has not been all for nothing. You saved her. You saved me from the self destructive path I was on."

"Are you telling me to see the positives?" Charlie questioned bitterly. "I don't see many. I need to protect my daughter, Tori. I need to keep Bella safe but I don't know where to start. She's not even speaking to me."

"You start by asking for forgiveness." Tori said quietly. "When you make things right, then you can start to plan"

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	77. Chapter 77

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this crazy saga! I know some of you have been tiring of the constant twists and turns but every dramatic scene or twist was in there for a reason. I hope this chapter makes sense, lol.**_

 **Chapter Seventy Seven**

 _ **One week later;**_

The sun filtering through the clouds hit Bella's luxuriant hair, making the highlights in her chestnut locks blaze red. She was sitting on the old driftwood log by herself contemplating her crazy life. Jacob would finish his patrol shift soon and join her. But while she waited she pondered the cryptic text messages that her father had been sending her for the last week. He had taken off with Tori, going underground to investigate a tip off she'd received from one of her associates. Charlie apologised for not being able to tell her more, but he said it was important that he played his cards close to his chest for now. Bella stared out at the ocean, the water was crystal blue, turquoise when the sun hit it. She loved the ocean, she understood it's beauty and its dangers. She had almost lost her life in the choppy waters when she had stupidly jumped off the cliff. It was only through Jacob's heroic actions that she was alive and breathing today.

The waves softly crashed against the rocky beach, brushing each stone with a gentle caress as the wind ushered them gently toward the shore. The breeze lifted Bella's hair off her hot neck and she stretched, capturing the fine strands in her fingertips, pulling them back into a loose ponytail at the back of her head. As she continued to gaze at the ocean she admired the way the golden light danced across the rippling waves.

"Where are you, dad?" Bella mumbled under her breath as her eyes rose to the darkening horizon. Beyond the magical waves the sun was beginning to set. The sky was lit up with an array of colours; coral, lavender mixed with a fiery orange all blended together to create a fine accompaniment to the sun as she gave up the sky to the moon, sinking below the waves in all her majestic glory.

"It's s beautiful." Jacob's husky tones startled Bella from her introspection. She turned to the side, studying his handsome profile as he settled beside her, his hand immediately reaching for hers. "I'm sorry I was gone so long." He apologised.

"Don't be." Bella rested her head on his broad shoulder, relieved that he had finally returned and she was no longer alone to wallow in her fears. "How was it?"

"Quiet." Jacob played with her fingers, interweaving his between hers as he admired their contrasting skin tones in the diffuse light from above.

"That's good." Bella said tiredly as she rubbed her cheek against his smooth skin.

Jacob could hear the exhaustion in her tone. He knew it was more wearying for her than for him. He had an objective. He was focused when he was out with his brothers, his attention fully on his goal, protecting the reservation. But for Bella, being forced to wait, sitting idly by herself for long hours when she wasn't with him or working in the diner, took its toll on her nerves. And her nerves were in shreds.

"I shouldn't have moved out. I shouldn't have left him alone."

"Bells, we've talked about this." Nothing Jacob could say would stop her blaming herself for leaving Charlie. "He's been texting every day. You have to trust that he's alright. He has Tori with him."

"And you trust her?" Bella turned her liquid eyes on him. They were shimmering with moisture, the tears threatening to fall, even as she did her best to hold them in.

"As much as it goes against everything I believe in...I do." Jacob cupped her face with his free hand, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb. "This could be a good thing. Maybe we'll get some answers."

Bella closed her eyes briefly. Moisture coated her lashes as the traitorous tears drizzled out anyway. "How can we fight this, Jake?"

"By staying strong." Jacob kissed her softly on the mouth, letting his lips linger on hers.

Bella sucked in her lower lip and nodded when he pulled back. She hated feeling so weak and helpless, but that's exactly what she was, completely powerless. She had no control over anything, but was forced to rely on others to keep her safe. Once again her past association with the Cullens was putting others in peril. Now Demetri was involved. Jacob had eventually told her what Tori had confided to him before things had kicked off with her dad and Sue. This revelation just added another element of danger. If Demetri had caught up with Edward, did this mean the Volturi were poking around. It was frightening knowing the odds were so stacked against them, especially when none of them knew for certain what those odds were.

"How's Leah and Seth?" Bella asked eventually to distract herself from her worries.

"They're healing. Even though it caused a ruckus something shifted in Sue when she slept with your dad. It released a whole heap of resentment she'd been harbouring for months. She's talking, Lee and Seth are listening. That's a good thing." Jacob smiled at her tenderly. "Lee said she'd come and see you later."

"I'm glad. I've missed her and sweet Seth." Bella smiled through her tears as she rested her head against Jacob's shoulder again. He put his arm around her and the two of them watched as the moon took over from the sun, signalling the end of another day.

* * *

Tori pulled the cruiser over to the side of the road. Dawn was breaking. The first orange hued rays of sunrise kissed the sky. Tori tore her gaze away from the amber glow on the horizon and glanced at the man sleeping beside her. Charlie was slumped in the passenger seat, he looked so defenceless, his face relaxed, peaceful. Something close to affection kindled in her deadened heart and she found herself with her hand outstretched, her fingers gently caressing the smooth planes of his cheeks. Her cold touch startled him into wakefulness and she snatched her hand back.

"We're here." She said more harshly then she intended.

"Damn." Charlie rubbed his fists into his eyes, trying to erase the last traces of sleep. "Already?"

"Yes." Tori gripped the steering wheel and stared straight ahead.

Charlie turned to look at her. He noticed her eyes, the irises almost black. She was starving, being unable to hunt as they were surrounded by civilians with no convenient patches of woodland on their doorstep. During the past few days he had come to understand and admire her restraint. She was stronger than she gave herself credit for. "You should hunt."

"Yes." Tori closed her eyes briefly, relaxing her grip on the steering wheel.

"I'll see you soon." It wasn't a question.

"I'll call." Tori opened her eyes and shook her vibrant red curls. She was about to exit the vehicle when Charlie captured her hand. She stilled, staring at his hand covering hers. "What is it?"

"Thank you." Charlie said softly. "And be careful. Okay."

Tori trembled slightly as if fighting an internal battle with herself. "Apart from Anne you are the only person to ever say that to me." She slipped her hand out of his and hastily retreated, vanishing before he had a chance to say anymore.

* * *

Bella was just serving up breakfast when she heard the cruiser pull up outside the Black's house. Her eyes darted to Jacob and then Billy. The former rose out of his seat and hurried to the front door to greet the errant police chief. Billy was forced to take the hot pan out of Bella's grasp as she was physically shaking so much. He placed it on the stove and took her trembling hand in his steadfast grip.

"It's okay, child. He's home now." Billy smiled encouragingly.

"I'm so scared." Bella admitted shakily.

"I know." Billy patted her hand. He could hear Jacob and Charlie talking in low voices in the hall. "Hey, why don't we finish serving up this delicious meal you've cooked. I bet your old man is starving."

Bella nodded jerkily. "Okay." She returned Billy's smile tremulously.

"Good girl." Billy patted her hand again before letting go and following her into the kitchen.

* * *

Charlie sat at the table with the others, feeling weary and out of place. He had been gone a week but it felt more like a lifetime. His clothes clung to his sweaty body and his hair was slick to his head. The food tasted like heaven in his mouth. It was his first proper cooked meal in days. "I've missed your cooking." He said gruffly as he looked toward his daughter, smiling wearily.

"Where have you been?" Bella couldn't wait any longer to ask. Everyone else had already finished their meal, though hers remained untouched. She felt too skittish to eat.

Charlie sighed as he continued to chew. He grabbed a glass of water and gulped some down to soothe his dry throat. "I spent a couple of days in Denali, three in Seattle and then finally Port Angeles."

"You went to Denali." Bella breathed. She tensed, her hand finding Jacob's and holding on tight. "The Cullens have friends there."

"Yes." Charlie scowled as he grabbed a paper napkin and wiped his mouth. "And I nearly became breakfast for one of them. Luckily Tori took care of him, though it was a blow, he was her informant."

"Shit." Billy gasped as he stared at his friend in shock.

"Who was this informant?" Jacob asked as he put a comforting arm around Bella.

Charlie's expression softened as he looked at his distressed daughter. "I think you'll know him. Tori called him Laurent."

"Laurent?" Bella cried as she sagged against Jacob. She recalled her own encounter with the bloodthirsty former member of James' coven. "I can't believe it."

"That was the dark skinned cold one we chased off when he was trying to attack you in the meadow." Jacob remembered as his hold on Bella tightened. His eyes blazed with anger. "He escaped us when we chased him, although I nearly had him."

"Cool down, Jake." Billy warned his son. "Let the chief speak."

Charlie pushed his plate away and drank some more water. He reached across the table and took Bella's hand in his. "It was a good thing he escaped that day. He's been useful to Tori, feeding her information about the Cullens. He was involved with one of the Denali coven she told me, some female called Irina, or something like that. He was supposed to be following their veg diet like Tori but he struggled to stick to it. Hence me almost becoming part of his menu."

"I'm so sorry, dad." Bella felt tears well in her eyes again. She blinked them away. She was so sick of crying.

"I'm fine, kiddo. Honestly." Charlie reassured her. He squeezed her hand. "Anyway suffice to say we learned a lot of useful things while we were there." He took a deep breath and met everyone's curious gaze. "This is going to be difficult to explain but Tori and I think we've worked out why Carlisle Cullen is risking exposure by working at the Seattle children's hospital and..." He sucked in another breath as he looked directly at his daughter's stricken face. "I think...we think we understand why Edward was so fixated with your blood and why it acted like a drug to him and every other vampire you came into contact with." Charlie grimaced before continuing. He was finding it difficult to talk about Edward Cullen. He hated him so much.

"Edward used that phrase once. He said it called to him. I was referred to as his singer." Bella faltered. She clung to Jacob and her father's hands as the enormity of everything began to hit her.

"Oh, Bells." Charlie sighed again unhappily. "You know how your mom and I always panicked when you hurt yourself. We went over the top sometimes and I know it irritated you. When you were in hospital after James attacked you, though I thought it was an accident at the time." He swallowed thickly at the memory. "Your recovery was more touch and go than we ever told you. No one wanted you to panic or for it to hinder your recovery."

"What, dad?" Bella demanded anxiously.

Charlie swallowed thickly as his eyes turned lambent. "There's a blood type so rare that only forty or so people in the world have it. When you were five and you broke your arm the doctors found out you were number forty one."

"I don't understand." Bella whispered as her expression clouded.

"You have golden blood, kiddo. Or Rhnull is the medical terminology. Because it is the rarest blood type in the entire world there are only 9 donors in the world. To explain better we all have red blood cells and those cells have around 342 antigens. These antigens produce antibodies. A person's blood type is determined on the basis of the presence or absence of these antigens." Charlie continued gruffly.

"160 of 342 blood group antigens are prevalent. Meaning, most people have it. Your blood type is considered rare if you lack antigens that 99% of the people are positive for. If you somehow lack an antigen that 99.99% are positive for, your blood type is extremely rare."

"Oh my god." Bella gasped as she looked at Jacob helplessly. He scooped her onto his lap and cuddled her close to his body. "Why did you keep this from me?" She sobbed as she focused on her father again.

"To try and protect you, kiddo." Charlie pleaded. "The thing about Rhnull is that if you have it, get ready to be approached by scientists and doctors alike. Purely because they want to study it further. Rhnull can be the true universal donor group for anyone who has a rare blood type. It's life saving capability is humongous."

"Life saving." Jacob echoed him as he wrapped his arms around Bella.

"Yes." Charlie had their full attention now. He glanced at Billy who was looking at him gravely. "Those who have it, have the power to save lives. But should something happen to them, they could be in grave danger. And mixing blood types can be lethal. Since there are so few rare blood types."

"You think Doctor Cullen targeted Bella deliberately." Billy said grimly as he guessed where the police chief was heading. "It was no coincidence that he moved his family here, waiting for Bella. The little psychic would have had pre-warning. And let me guess, this funding that he's received from the Seattle Children's trust was given to him to investigate this golden blood phenomenon further."

"It's being channelled through the lawyers that Tori led me to in Seattle. This is bigger than we think. This goes way up the chain. Tori thinks the Volturi is involved and that Carlisle has either gone rogue and they are investigating him or that he's working with them." Charlie rubbed his hand over his face tiredly as he gazed at his distraught daughter sadly. "We haven't connected those dots yet."

"To what end?" Jacob asked incredulously. He was holding Bella so tightly, afraid that she would be snatched away from him just by talking about it.

"For a cure." Bella finally spoke, her voice thick with pain. "That's always been Carlisle's ultimate dream. He spoke about it once. I don't think he's working for the Volturi. The time he did spend with them disgusted him. He hated the way they lived and their refusal to find another source of slaking their thirst. But I think there is someone who is working with them, a spy. Someone who joined his family later on..."

"Alice." Jacob finished for her in horror. "That explains why she's been trying so hard to force the change on you. She wants to freeze your blood. To stop any kind of experiments. The last thing the Volturi would want is a cure for vampirism, even if there's only a slight possibility of it happening."

"Yes." Charlie took over the conversation again. "That's what Tori figured. I don't think the little psychic factored in Edward falling in love with you. His continual interference when he insisted on saving your life scuppered her plans. But she couldn't openly do anything for fear of discovery. She must be very careful. We think the blonde male who is acting as her mate is actually a soldier recruited to guard her in case of any slip ups."

"But what about when they were in the Volturi stronghold? Why not change Bella there?" Billy questioned.

"Why would they? They had Alice there to do their job for them. They wouldn't want to alert Edward or Carlisle that she is a spy. She is immensely useful to them where she is so she can continue to feed back information to her masters. But this is still guesswork." Charlie shrugged. "Tori and I need to do more digging."

"It seems you've found your calling, chief." Billy met his friend's troubled gaze. "You'd make a great PI."

"You're not the only one who said that." Charlie agreed as he thought about Tori.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading. A lot to take in I know. Let me know what you think...**_


	78. Chapter 78

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Eight**

"Your dad really came through for you, huh." Leah said to Bella as the two girls sat on the wooden bench outside of the Uley's small cabin. Inside a tense meeting was taking place as Jacob informed the rest of the pack about what he had learned from Charlie. Leah was already up to speed and didn't feel that it was necessary to attend the meeting along with her brothers, so she kept a devastated Bella company instead. "I'm sorry I slapped him the other day. I lost my cool."

"Your reaction was understandable. I was upset, too." Bella rubbed her aching temples as she tried to process everything that had happened. She was feeling overwhelmed and even more helpless than before. "I don't know what to do, Lee. I feel so useless. Everything is spiralling out of control and I can't stop it."

"Hey, calm down. Take a breath, girlfriend." Leah put a calming hand on her back. "Anyone would feel the same in your situation."

"But I'm the target. This is my fault. I'm dragging everyone else into my mess." Bella wouldn't be comforted. She was wracked with guilt and fear. There was so much going against them. It was bad enough when just the Cullens were involved with Alice pulling the strings, but now the Volturi were sniffing around, too. That made everything much more perilous.

"This isn't your fault. You didn't ask for this golden blood thing. You heard your dad, it was all premeditated. Whatever decisions you made at any one time wouldn't have made any difference. The Cullens were using you from the beginning, the little psychic was manipulating them at the same time they were manipulating you." Leah remonstrated with her.

"Was any of it even real? All that time I spent with Edward and his family. The way they embraced me as one of their own. It was all a lie. The only one who didn't try and befriend me was Rosalie. She was hostile from the beginning. She hated me." Bella rubbed her forehead again as she thought about the stunning blonde vampire.

"I doubt she hated you. It sounds like guilt to me." Leah surmised thoughtfully. "She must have known what the vamp doctor's intentions were, but maybe she hoped by being remote and keeping you at arm's length it would make it easier for her to bear."

"God!" Bella rubbed her sore eyes. She was even too tired to cry now. "Why didn't I take the hint?" She said bitterly. "I was just so enamoured by Edward and so grateful for Alice's friendship. She always said we were like sisters. She played me like a fool right from the get go. Her plan was so perfect until Edward developed real feelings for me and ruined everything. I trusted all of them, Lee. I'm an idiot. They were all using me." She was getting angry now. "I'm so mad. I just want to hit something." Bella clenched her fists in her lap.

"Good. Be mad. Swear. Cry. Throw something." Leah encouraged her. "You are allowed to let go. Scream at me if you need to. I can take it."

Hysterical laughter bubbled in Bella's throat at Leah's offer. "You're awesome, Lee. Did I ever tell you that?" She threw her arms around the she-wolf's neck and clung on.

"Typical." Leah muttered irritably as she wrapped her arms around Bella. "I tell you to throw a fit hissy fit and you hug me to death instead."

* * *

The meeting was over. To say that everyone was in shock was an understatement. No one had anything to say, even Paul, who was usually the most vocal, sat staring at Jacob with his mouth open. Sam had sent everyone away to give them time to absorb the news, they would reconvene again in the morning. Bella was inside with Emily, cooking. Leah had left with Seth to go and tell Sue about the latest turn of events.

"We need a plan." Jacob was sitting on the same bench that Leah and Bella had occupied earlier. Sam sat next to him, staring moodily into the distance. "This is bigger than anything we've ever faced."

"Except we don't know what we're facing." Sam growled in frustration. "Charlie gave us some answers but we are no clearer to a solution. We're still in the same position. All we can we is tighten up the patrols and wait to see what happens."

"That is only a short term fix." Jacob said gruffly as he met his Alpha's frustrated gaze. "You're right. We don't know what we're facing. Which means I need to find out."

Sam frowned. "How do you propose to do that?"

"I'm gonna go with Tori and Charlie the next time they try and track down the Cullens again." Jacob revealed.

Sam was stunned. He stared at Jacob incredulously for a moment before he finally found his voice again. "You're serious, aren't you. That's a dangerous move, Jake. You'll have to put your trust in the same vampire that we pursued for months when she was after Bella."

"I think Tori's proved that she is on our side." Jacob pointed out.

"She is not on our side. She's a vampire and has her own agenda." Sam argued. "I won't make alliances with our sworn enemy and neither should you."

"Ephraim did." Jacob said quietly.

"Yes and look how well that turned out." Sam sneered.

"That was different. The times were different. Ephraim made the right decision. His pack was small. Ephraim realized they were outnumbered and there wouldn't have been a need for negotiation unless the Cullens truly meant peace between the clans, therefore he agreed to make the treaty with them." Jacob retorted. "It worked for Ephraim. He achieved peace for the tribe and the lands were protected. Now I'm doing the same with Tori."

"But this time against the Cullens." Sam said darkly. He looked out at the horizon again, his expression grim.

"I know it's ironic." Jacob admitted. "But I need your backing on this, Sam. I need to know I have your support."

"Dammit, Jake." Sam cursed under his breath. He huffed out an irritated sigh. "Good luck with telling Bella." He said grudgingly.

"Is that a yes?" Jacob asked.

"It's a yes." Sam agreed reluctantly as he finally caved in.

* * *

Bella shuddered and breathed deeply before she opened her eyes. "Jacob." her voice was hoarse and weak. She stared at him for a moment, then blinked and shook her head. Her eyelids fluttered and she glanced around the room before resting on him again. "I don't want you to go."

"Bella, honey, it's the only way." Jacob pleaded.

"You can't leave." Bella insisted. "I need you here. Your pack needs you." Tears welled in her eyes and she drew in a long, deep breath, her lower lip quivering. "Don't leave me, Jake. Please."

"It's not like that, Bells. You know I have to do this. If I want to keep you safe. If I want to keep the reservation safe, then I need to do this. I need to find out what's going on." Jacob implored. He looked steadily into her eyes, begging for her to understand. He grasped Bella's hand, wishing that he didn't have to do this. He hated upsetting her. But right now they were out of options. He couldn't just wait and see any longer. He needed to be proactive and take action.

"So you're still determined to go." Bella said bitterly.

"I have to." Jacob watched her bite down on her lower lip as she tried to stem the tide of her tears. "I'm sorry, honey. If there was any other way..."

Bella closed her eyes again and leaned against him. His warmth soothed her and made her feel safe. How was she supposed to cope without his steadfast presence for even a couple of days. It felt like her world was spinning out of control more than ever. Dread settled in her stomach. This couldn't continue. She needed to take some control back, to feel as if she was doing something to save herself. Bella swallowed thickly and raised her head again to find Jacob looking down at her with a worried frown.

"You need to go." She whispered.

"Yes." Jacob said in relief. "I do. I won't be gone long, Bells. I promise."

"You don't need to make promises. I'm going to take back control."

"What?" Jacob was confused.

Bella took another deep breath before she confessed. "I'm coming with you, Jake. I want to find out what's going on as much as you do. If you go. Then I go. I refuse to be left behind."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	79. Chapter 79

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Seventy Nine**

"No." Tori stated firmly. "She can't come with us. She'll endanger our undercover mission."

"She wants to take control back, Tori." Charlie had already had this argument out with his daughter. Bella's passionate response to his initial refusal had swayed things in her favour. "Bells needs to do this."

Tori scowled as she began to pace in front of him. "You are letting sentiment get in the way of practicality. Your daughter is a draw for these vampires because of her intoxicating blood."

"Are you worried about them or you?" Charlie asked sternly.

Tori narrowed her eyes. "Are you questioning my restraint?"

"Yes."

"I question yours." Tori hissed.

"What do you mean mine?" Charlie questioned irritably.

A sly smile graced Tori's lovely face as she stared at him triumphantly. "We'll be on the road for days with your daughter and her lover. You question my restraint when she is in close proximity to me, but what about when she spends the night alone in a motel room with her boyfriend. Are you going to sleep between them to prevent the inevitable?" Her eyes shone with glee as she realised she had ruffled the police chief's feathers.

"Jacob is not Bella's lover, they are dating. They are taking things slow." Charlie growled.

"Who says? You? Or them?" Tori taunted him. She laughed wickedly. "Do you still want her on the road with us now?"

Charlie crossed his arms defensively and glared at her. "She's coming. I won't need to show any restraint because I have nothing to worry about."

Tori smirked. "I bet you're wrong. In fact I know that you are."

"I'll take that bet." Charlie retorted irritably. "Be ready to hit the road at nine tomorrow. And don't go stealing any cars." He warned her. "I'm going to hire one."

"Who made you the boss?" Tori snapped at him, irked by his superior attitude.

"What do you expect? I'm the chief." Charlie chuckled at her disgruntled expression, thinking he had gotten his own back after her insinuations about the true extent of Jacob and Bella's relationship.

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Charlie's voice bellowed through the Black's front room.

Jacob jumped awake, immediately alert, and held Bella protectively. Why was Charlie yelling? Jacob couldn't understand what the older man was so upset about. He was still groggy after being woken up so abruptly. He saw Charlie's face turn a deep purple.

"Jacob Black, you better have a good explanation for this."

"Huh?" Jacob finally realised that Charlie was yelling at him. He lifted his hand up to his face, suddenly realising he had been cupping one of Bella's breasts as they slept on the old couch

Bella had woken up as well and was gazing blearily at her dad. "Dad, what are you doing?" She yawned, rubbing her eyes adorably with her hands, making Jacob's heart melt.

"Bella, I'd like you to be quiet. I want Jacob to explain this." Charlie softened his tone as he spoke to her.

"But, Dad-"

Jacob rubbed his hand along her arm comfortingly. "It's fine, Bells. Let me talk to him." He met Charlie's gaze fearlessly. "It's not what it looks like, Charlie." He glanced at the couch where Bella lay, leaning back against him. She had on sweats, so did he. It was, in fact, exactly what it looked like . But not what Charlie thought. Of course that wasn't the way to explain anything to him. He reluctantly let go of Bella and stood up, motioning for the police chief to go into the kitchen with him.

"You had hands on my daughter." Charlie glowered as he glared at Jacob menacingly.

Jacob scratched his head, wondering why the older man was getting so bent out of shape about this now. He and Bella had been together for months. They weren't shy in showing their affection for each other in front of their olds. Admittedly, Charlie hadn't walked on him accidentally touching Bella's breast in his sleep before, but it was no different to her resting her hand on his chest when they lay down together. They were used to touching each other intimately and weren't embarrassed or ashamed of it.

"I really don't see what the problem is." Jacob said nonchalantly.

"You don't see the problem?" Charlie squeaked as his voice went up a few octaves. "That's Bella in there."

"Yeah." Jacob looked at him in confusion.

"She's my daughter."

"Yeah. So?" Jacob ran his fingers through his tousled hair as he tried to understand what Charlie was getting at.

"So, she is...is a...and I can't have any of that if we're all travelling together." Charlie blustered. "I really didn't think I would have to talk about...about...but I can see I'll have to...talk about...you know... _it_." He shook his finger in Jacob's direction, mumbling and clearly uncomfortable about broaching the subject at all.

"About?" Jacob got his full meaning, but decided to play dumb. This was absolutely ridiculous. He knew if Bella could hear this conversation she would want to curl up and die. He wondered what had stoked this all up in Charlie's brain.

"Damn, Tori." Charlie muttered.

"What has she got to do with anything?" Jacob asked.

"Nothing." Charlie sighed and raised his eyes to heaven. "You and Bella...seeing you together..." He puffed out his cheeks exasperatedly. "Things seem more serious between the two of you than I realised. I figured, with how things were, that it wouldn't be so..." His voice faded away.

For a long moment Jacob remained silent. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and low, but steady. "I want to marry her, Charlie." He let that sink in for a moment.

"You're too young. You are both too young." Charlie hissed frantically, getting upset.

"I know...I don't mean right now. But I know what I want and I know how I feel about your daughter. I love her." Jacob took a deep breath. He hadn't meant for any of this to come out. This was stuff he had been keeping close to his chest. He had never mentioned any of this to Bella. Not with all the crazy things happening around them. But that didn't stop him secretly hoping that once things settled down he and Bella could plan a future together. "I'd marry her tomorrow if that's what she wanted." The words rushed out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Shit." Charlie sank down into one of the vacant chairs. He'd been about to issue a lecture on the dreaded S word, but here Jacob was talking about love and marriage. "Jeez, kid, you're too young to be so serious."

It took all of Jacob's willpower not to roll his eyes at that statement. He was too young to be thinking of a future with Bella, but old enough to act as a carer for his wheelchair bound father and risk his life fighting rabid vampires. "I know how I feel, Charlie." He said coolly.

"It's not that I doubt you, Jake. I just don't want you rushing into anything. Either of you. And-" Charlie stopped abruptly and gritted his teeth. "I hope that you are being careful." He inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm himself before continuing. "I know I'm the last person you want to talk to about this, but I think it's probably easier for us, you know, man to man. I mean, better than me talking to Bella."

"Right." Jacob muttered, glad that Bella wasn't listening to this bizarre conversation. He knew she would be mortified.

"I don't really want to know." Charlie said hastily. He floundered for the right words and instead opted for any words. "You need to be _careful_. Do I make myself clear? And no _funny business_ when we hit the road." He stressed the words careful and funny business."You do understand what I'm saying, don't you?" He finished vaguely.

 _"Yeah, no sex on the road. I get it."_ Jacob thought in his head. But out loud he said. "Charlie, you have nothing to worry about."

"Jake, I'm her father. I'll worry about her until the day I'm sit feet under." Charlie cleared his throat. "You'll understand someday when you're a father yourself." Looking at Jacob sharply he barked. "Just don't make that happen anytime soon."

* * *

"You were right." Charlie admitted grumpily to Tori when they met up later that night on his back porch. He folded his arms across his chest and pursed his lips. "So you can crow all you want now and tell me I told you so."

"I wouldn't do that." Tori smiled enigmatically. "So even though you've discovered the truth, you are comfortable letting your daughter come."

"She's an adult. As much as I hate to admit it, the choice is hers, not mine." Charlie huffed irritably.

"You are too funny, Charlie Swan." Tori laughed throatily as he glared at her in annoyance.

"I'm glad I amuse you." Charlie grouched. His cheeks blazed with mortification.

"That's a good thing." Tory rose gracefully to her feet. "I must leave you now. This is my last chance to hunt."

"Tori." Charlie said gruffly.

"Yes." Tori gazed down at him expectantly.

"I never meant to question your restraint. I trust you around Bella." Charlie gave her a pleading look.

"Thank you." There was a slight catch in Tori's voice as she spoke. "Goodnight, Charlie."

"Goodnight, Tori." Charlie replied softly as he watched her slip into the darkness.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	80. Chapter 80

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty**

The first day on the road was an eye opener for Bella. They were heading to Seattle again to stake out the Seattle children's hospital where Carlisle was still working. His encounters with Tori and Charlie hadn't scared him off. It seemed his desperation to find the cure was making him reckless, even the fear of discovery wasn't enough to force him to put a hold on his plans. Bella sat beside Jacob in the back of the Jeep Wrangler that Charlie had hired. It was a surprising choice for her father to make, but when she saw Tori sitting behind the wheel driving like a demon, she began to realise that perhaps her father had been influenced by the red head. She remembered how Edward had impacted on her past decisions and assumed that Tori was doing the same with Charlie.

But the longer they all spent together packed into the Jeep, Bella was forced to change that assumption. During the drive she watched Charlie and Tori argue. They fell out over which direction to take, Tori being convinced that her route was the best way to go. Bella waited for her father to accede to Tori's decision, but to her surprise he didn't. They had a spat as Charlie disagreed with her point of view. It got so bad that Jacob had to intervene, trying to act as the voice of reason. It was quite comical when Tori and Charlie turned around at the exact same time, with the exact same glare, and told him to shut up. When they made a pit stop for something to eat, it was Charlie who persuaded Tori to give them time to refuel. She went off alone, complaining that they were holding her up with their human needs to sustain themselves.

"Jeez, she's in a bad mood." Jacob said to the police chief as they went to buy some food. "Is she always like this?"

"Yeah, dad." Bella agreed uneasily as she watched Tori pace back and forth like a wildcat as she waited impatiently for them to return. "She seems a bit agitated."

"Ignore her." Charlie tried to make light of it.

"Dad, she's making me uneasy." Bella admitted.

"I gotta agree with Bells." Jacob interjected. "She's very agitated." He was beginning to think that being in such close proximity to Bella's intoxicating blood was beginning to have an effect on the red headed vamp despite her denials. "She's acting strange. I'm concerned she's not coping with Bella being so close." He wrapped Bella in his arms protectively.

Charlie huffed out an irritated sigh. "I didn't want to have to tell you this, son."

"What?"

"It's you."

"Me?" Jacob exchanged a confused glance with Bella. "What have I done?"

"Well it's not what you've done exactly." Charlie rubbed the back of his neck, feeling awkward. "It's more how you smell."

"Hey, you can't attack Jake's personal hygiene." Bella said defensively. "He smells just perfect to me." She cuddled against him, smiling up at him tenderly.

Charlie pulled a disgruntled face as he watched his only child gaze up at Jacob adoringly. "Don't go overboard, Bells. Jake smells like the rest of us, but to Tori his stench is more potent. And being closeted in the Jeep for hours isn't helping. So you've got to forgive her for being a bit moody."

"Moody?" Bella protested. "She's being downright rude. And Jake does not stink. She's making it up."

"Why would she bother making that up?" Charlie pointed out testily.

"I don't know. To be annoying." Bella pouted as she rested her head against Jacob, breathing him in to make a point. "Yep, just perfect."

"He smells like wet dog." Tori came out of nowhere, startling everyone.

"Do you really want to compare stinks?" Jacob retorted, feeling affronted.

Tori wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I never gave it a thought that I wouldn't be able to tolerate your smell."

"I can't tolerate yours but I don't complain about it." Jacob threw back at her. "Get over it."

Tori's gaze swept over Jacob imperiously before she spun on her heel and returned to the Jeep. "Just hurry up." She called over her shoulder as she climbed into the driver's seat and slammed the door after her.

* * *

As they continued on their journey it began to rain heavily. The icy grey sky restlessly grumbled, the thickened black clouds burst as the rain poured down over the city in torrents. A loud boom of thunder startled Bella, who was huddled up in Jacob's arms. They had reached the outskirts of Seattle just as the storm was building. The rain began to pelt through the opened windows of the Jeep and they were forced to close them, making the frosty atmosphere inside the vehicle even heavier. Tori complained under her breath as she navigated her way through the traffic which had slowed down almost to a crawl.

Bella peered out of the misty windows at the people hurrying to escape the heavy raindrops which struck the wet sidewalk, pitting the surface like bullets from above. They drummed on the roof of the Jeep in a staccato beat.

"This is ridiculous I should be able to just drive over these people." Tori complained.

"Calm down." Charlie warned her sternly.

"I would if it didn't smell so rank in here." Tori shot Jacob a dark look over her shoulder before concentrating on the road again. They were caught up in a traffic jam. Annoyed, she began rummaging through the glove box before pulling out a perfumed spray.

"Where did you get that?" Charlie asked suspiciously.

"I acquired it." Tori snapped at him as she began to spray the perfume all over herself before squirting it behind her in Jacob's direction.

"Hey." Jacob protested. He coughed as the pungent perfume irritated the back of his throat.

"Did you steal that, Tori?" Charlie demanded as he ignored Jacob's coughing fit behind him.

Tori scowled irritably as she sprayed some in his direction to shut him up. "I needed it and I'm not in the mood for lectures."

"Dammit, woman." Charlie coughed as he waved his hand in front of his face. So far this was turning out to be the journey from hell.

* * *

It took another two hours before they reached their motel. Everyone tumbled out of the car, glad to be escaping the cloying confines of the vehicle. Thick icy sheets of rain obscured their vision as they ran toward the reception to get the keys to their rooms. Jacob picked Bella up in his arms, trying to shield her from the worst of the rain with his body. Charlie lagged behind, getting completely soaked until Tori went back for him, hauled the protesting police chief over her shoulder, and darted after Jacob and Bella.

The old guy manning the reception nearly fell out of his chair when he saw the latest guests burst in fine style through the front doors. His eyes bugged out of his head as he watched a very attractive red head saunter inside with a flailing man hanging over her shoulder. His mouth dropped open as the red head dumped her companion unceremoniously on a vacant chair. Soon these two were followed by a giant Native American cradling a petite brunette in his arms.

"Uh hi?" The old guy greeted them dubiously.

"Keys." The red head demanded imperiously as she strode up to him and held out her hand.

"Uh...name?" The old man recoiled from the woman's fiery gaze.

"What name did you leave?" Tori barked at Charlie.

"Smith." Charlie's cheeks were beet red with embarrassment. He noticed the old guy looking at him curiously and he glared back at him.

"You heard him-Smith." Tori said haughtily.

"Smith...Smith." The old guy quickly fumbled through a drawer until he found what he was looking for. "Rooms ten, eleven and twelve." He flinched as Tori snatched the keys from him and stalked back out into the rain.

* * *

"My god, what a day." Jacob towel dried his hair as he watched Bella come out of the shower. The hot water had made her skin pinker than he had ever seen it, as if she was blushing all over. She was wrapped in a thick, fluffy towel. Another was wrapped around her head.

Bella stood on her tiptoes and kissed him before she headed for one of the beds and sat down. Jacob snagged his jeans as he followed her. Bella laughed as he hopped first on one leg, then the other as he pulled on his jeans. "You're too cute." She said, smiling affectionately.

"That would be you." Jacob grinned, feeling refreshed and more relaxed now that they were alone. He leaned down to share another kiss, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Damn."

Bella sighed as she patted his chest and rose to her feet when she heard her father call her name through the locked door. She opened it, peering at her harassed parent as he looked at her suspiciously. "I thought you would be dressed." He muttered as he poked his head around the door as if suspecting that they were up to no good.

"I've just come out of the shower." Bella retorted, feeling aggravated.

"Well, hurry up. We've just got time to grab something to eat before we head to the hospital." Charlie rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure it's a good idea that you and Jake share a room." He stared at the twin beds.

"What you'd rather me share a room with a blood sucking vampire? Or do you want to share with Jake and I have your room and sleep all alone, unprotected. At the mercy of every vampire within a..."

"Alright." Charlie interrupted her. "Just be _careful_." He emphasised the word careful as he shot Jacob a warning look. "I'll meet you by the Jeep in five minutes." He finished before finally taking his leave.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	81. Chapter 81

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews! I have an admission to make. I screwed up yesterday and posted the wrong version of this chapter. I had two drafts made up as I wasn't sure which way I was gonna go with this story at first, but then I chose this one and posted the other by mistake. By the time I noticed I'd uploaded the wrong one and took it down some of you had already read and commented on it. I'm so sorry, guys!**_

 _ **Please discount the other version and re-read this with fresh eyes. Thanks!**_

 **Chapter Eighty One**

 _Hope. Care. Cure._

 _These three simple words capture what we are here to do. That's because at Seattle Children's, compassionate care, breakthrough research and generous donors come together every day for children who need us._

Bella read the blurb on the hospital's website on her cell. She flipped through the page, trying to find more information about Carlisle Cullen. There were smiling photographs of many of the senior physicians, but she struggled to find him. It was very frustrating. She found a section on groundbreaking research and scanned it quickly, searching for anything on golden blood or it's medical term, Rhnull.

"Seattle Children's was initially founded and run by a group of philanthropic women more than 100 years ago. Their generous spirit can be seen today in the support of thousands of donors and guild members, and it's their support that ultimately makes it possible for our care and research teams to come together – raising funds to ultimately create better futures for our patients." Bella read aloud to the others sitting in the Jeep.

"For some more than others." Tori spat as she stared at the imposing building across the street from where they had parked the Jeep.

Charlie frowned at her before twisting in his seat to look back at his daughter. "Carry on, Bells."

Bella had reached the section on donors. She studied the most prominent names listed. Jacob sat beside her, reading over her shoulder. "I can't see anything recognisable." She sighed impatiently.

"I can see the Mercedes." Tori warned them as she sat rigidly in the front seat of the Jeep, her golden brown eyes scanning the parking lot and locking on to her target.

"I can't see anything." Charlie peered into the darkness, his eyesight no match for hers.

"There under those trees." Tori pointed toward an umbrella of trees which overhung the parking lot, shielding the cars from any onlookers.

"Dammit." Charlie cussed.

Jacob let go of Bella and leaned forward between the seats. He noticed Tori scowl when he got too close, but he ignored her and stared in the general direction she was pointing. "Yeah, I can see it." He confirmed. "Someone's getting out." He paused, his brow furrowing in concentration. "No...there's more than one person."

"I'm going out for a closer look." Tori muttered as she reached for the door handle.

"Not on your own you don't." Charlie warned her. "Every time you get near Carlisle Cullen you lose control. Jake will go and investigate with you."

Tori glowered at Charlie but didn't protest. Deep down she knew he was right. "Don't hold me up." She sneered at Jacob.

"You've got that backwards." Jacob retorted irritably. Before she could respond he slipped out of the Jeep and melted into the darkness. Tori muttered profanities under her breath before quickly following him into the night.

"They'll be alright, kiddo." Charlie assured his daughter as he saw her anxiously staring in the direction that Jacob had disappeared. "Jake can take care of himself."

"But what if Tori loses control?" Bella questioned worriedly.

"She knows this is too important to mess up." Charlie reached through the gap between the seats for his daughter's hand. Bella's skin was icy cold from the chill. He rubbed her fingers to warm them up.

* * *

Jacob and Tori were hunkered down behind some thick vegetation. They were close enough to the Mercedes so they could hear what Carlisle and his companion were saying to each other, but far enough away to remain undetected. They made sure to stay downwind so their scent didn't give them away.

"You got here fast." Tori complimented Jacob grudgingly. "You are swifter than I thought."

Jacob just shrugged, not interested in scoring points. He leaned forward, trying to get a better view of the vamp doctor's shorter companion. It only took a few moments for him to recognise that it was Alice Cullen. He tensed, glancing to the side at Tori. She was scowling, her eyes narrowing to slits. Jacob worried that she was going to jump out of their hiding place and ambush the two vampires. He looked at her sternly and she glared at him before relaxing her stance.

"Don't worry, I'll behave." She sneered.

"Good." Jacob edged away from her a little. Her sickly sweet scent was overwhelming and being in such close proximity to her was giving him a headache. In this instance he cursed his oversensitive nose. Returning his attention to Carlisle and Alice he strained his ears to hear what they were saying.

Carlisle was looking around warily as if expecting some enemy to jump out of the shadows and attack. "Are you picking up anything?"

"Nothing substantial." Alice's face was pinched as she dug her hands in the pockets of the voluminous black coat she was wearing. She scanned the darkened parking lot just like Carlisle. She paused, her teeth worrying her lower lip as she cocked her head to one side. "I saw Bella." She spun around as if trying to get a lock on her target.

"That's impossible. She's always surrounded by the wolves." Carlisle looked around uneasily again.

"It was just a fleeting glimpse. But I saw her with...with..." Alice emitted a frustrated sigh. "I think it was her father. Her male companion's face was in shadow. The funny thing is I'm certain that she was looking toward this hospital..." She shook her head as if to clear it. "It's gone."

"Bella wouldn't be here." Carlisle was scathing. "I'm more worried about Demetri. There is only so long that Edward can keep him occupied. He's already getting suspicious."

A strange expression crossed Alice's petite features before she hid it behind a reassuring smile. "I wouldn't worry about Demetri, Carlisle. I am keeping a very close eye on him."

"I can't believe that Aro sent him here to spy on us."

"He's not here to spy. You are making too much of this." Alice wheedled. "He's merely here to scope out the situation and make sure that we don't renege on our promise to change Bella."

"He'll want to see her soon, surely." Carlisle was very agitated. "There are only so many excuses we can make to stall him."

"I told you I have it all in hand. You don't need to worry. Just concentrate on your research." Alice replied sharply.

Carlisle was irked by her abrupt tone, unused to being spoken to so harshly by the little psychic. "May I remind you that your visions are subjective, Alice. You are not infallible."

"I'm sorry." Alice lowered her gaze in a compliant fashion. "Perhaps I am a little spooked just like we all are."

"I understand." Carlisle smiled at her kindly, pleased by her quick apology. He patted her shoulder. "It will work out I'm sure."

"Yes." Alice murmured.

"You should head back to the others. Take the car. I'll make my own way home." Carlisle handed her the keys.

"Thank you. Goodnight, Carlisle." Alice smiled disarmingly as she climbed gracefully into the black Mercedes.

"Goodnight." Carlisle returned her smile indulgently as he turned away and walked across the parking lot to the hospital.

* * *

As Jacob watched the two vampires interact he felt fine tremors run up and down his arms. He had lectured Tori about her lack of control but he was no better. When Alice spoke about catching a fleeting glimpse of Bella and Charlie he nearly lost it. Without being aware of what he was doing he had lunged forward, ready to confront the little pixie and the vamp doctor, but Tori had reached out and yanked him back, her cold fingers wrapping around his upper arm and burning his skin.

"Don't be a fool." She hissed at him.

"Get off me." Jacob whisper yelled at her as he pulled his arm out of her tight grasp. "I wasn't going to do anything."

"Of course you weren't. At least I get to tell Charlie I told you so." Tori replied sarcastically.

Jacob glared at her before concentrating again on the last part of Carlisle and Alice's conversation. The two vampires exchanged a few more words before the little psychic climbed into the Mercedes and gunned the engine. "We should follow her and see where she goes." Jacob whispered to Tori as he turned to face her. But to his surprise the red head had vanished. He cussed under his breath as he followed her overpowering stench back to the Jeep. She was already sitting behind the wheel.

"What took you so long?" Tori mocked him as she switched on the engine.

Jacob looked daggers in her direction as he hastily climbed into the back of the Jeep next to Bella. He barely shut the door before the red head slammed her foot on the accelerator and sped after the departing Mercedes. He shot Tori another dark look before turning his attention to Bella. She put her hand over his and he instantly felt much calmer.

"Are you okay?" She asked him. Her lambent gaze swept over him as if reassuring herself that he was unharmed. Only then did she relax enough to lean against him. "I was worried."

"I told you I'd be fine." Jacob wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a light kiss on top of her head. Charlie and Tori were bickering in the front. The police chief was warning Tori to slow down otherwise he would take over driving. She did so reluctantly, but not without complaining.

"She sets my teeth on edge." Bella whispered to Jacob when she was suddenly thrown to the side as Tori swerved violently around a corner.

"And mine. She's gonna kill us if she's not careful." Jacob knew Tori could hear them perfectly well, but he raised his voice anyway. "Drive more carefully. Not all of us are indestructible in here."

"You heard the boy." Charlie yelled in Tori's ear. He was feeling carsick from being jerked around so much. "Alice Cullen will notice if you keep driving like a maniac. I knew you would lose control."

Tori muttered something under her breath about irritating humans but she did listen to Charlie and drove more smoothly. "I'm not the one who lost control." She revealed whilst darting a triumphant glance in Jacob's direction.

"What are you talking about, woman?" Charlie demanded testily.

"The wolf boy nearly threw a hissy fit and would have exposed us all if it wasn't for me being in control of the situation." Tori sounded almost boastful as she swung the wheel violently again, taking everyone by surprise.

"Shit, will you warn us next time." Charlie's teeth clacked together as he straightened in his seat.

"Where would the fun be in that?" Tori cackled as she kept her eyes trained on the black Mercedes fifty feet in front of them. Despite her crazy driving she was keeping enough distance between the two vehicles so the little psychic wouldn't think she was being followed.

Bella ignored Tori and Charlie's bickering and concentrated on Jacob instead. He was refusing to meet her gaze, a clear sign that Tori had been telling the truth. "Jake, you can't let them get under your skin like that." She whispered anxiously.

Jacob sighed, his shoulders tensing. "You're right. It's just when she had that vision about you. I was away from you for like ten minutes and she saw you, Bells."

Bella's face paled and she swallowed thickly. "She saw me."

"Not properly...but I have to make sure that you're not too far away from me again. I screwed up." Jacob reached out and cupped her face in his hand, turning it up toward him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be so..." Bella fell into Jacob as the Jeep came to an abrupt stop.

"Save the lover's tiff for later." Tori snapped at them. "We're here."

"Tori." Charlie reprimanded her.

Tori scowled again. "They can save all that lovey dovey crap for later. I told you it was a bad idea to let them both come."

"Enough. We need to focus." Charlie retorted. His dark brown eyes were fixed on the Mercedes. Alice Cullen had parked up but was still inside the car. "Why isn't she getting out?"

"Maybe she knows we followed her." Bella said worriedly.

"I know what I'm doing." Tori said defensively.

"Calm down." Charlie scolded them all.

"Hey, someone's coming." Jacob shielded Bella with his body as he peered into the gloom just like the others. "Who is that?" He breathed as a male vampire emerged from the shadows. He looked around hastily, revealing his white face to the occupants of the Jeep before he climbed into the Mercedes. Bella and Tori collectively inhaled sharply, both looking at each other as they recognised the stranger. "Who is it?" Jacob asked Bella.

"Demetri." Bella said brokenly.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	82. Chapter 82

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for still following this story!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Two**

"He won't get near you, Bells. I promise you that." Jacob vowed as he held her trembling body in his arms.

"Don't underestimate Demetri." Tori warned them all as she looked at Bella derisively. "You need to get a grip. You cannot fall apart every time you encounter something or someone that you fear.

"Leave her alone, Tori." Charlie snapped as he defended his daughter.

"No, she's right." Bella extricated herself from Jacob's arms. She wiped her eyes and squared her shoulders. "I came on this road trip to get some control back and that's what I intend to do." She met Tori's steely gaze. "It's just that I've seen firsthand what Demetri is capable of. Seeing his face again just brought back memories of my time in Volterra."

"Tell me more about this Demetri." Charlie demanded as he stared daggers at the parked Mercedes. Alice hadn't driven off, the two vampires remained inside the car with the blackened windows as they discussed their devilment.

"I've already told you. He's a tracker like James, but far more powerful." Tori replied impatiently.

"That's doesn't tell me anything. I want to know more. What are his personality and traits? Is he a brute like James?" Charlie ignored Tori's scowl and looked toward his daughter for help.

"I only know what I saw of him when I was facing Aro and the other leaders of the Volturi. He was in the background restraining Alice. Although now I know that was just for show." Bella bent her head and shook her head in despair.

"C'mere." Jacob said softly as he wrapped her in his arms again. Bella leaned against him gratefully and let the warmth from his body soothe her shattered nerves.

Charlie's eyes flicked to Tori. The scowl had fallen from her face and she appeared lost in thought. "You've encountered him before. You told me he was part of the group that hurt your sister." His tone softened when he saw pain flash in Tori's golden brown eyes. "I'm sorry if talking about your sister hurts you, but I think it would help it we knew more about this guy."

Tori's jaw pulsed as she glared at Charlie. "When my coven first encountered him and the others he wasn't very talkative. He kept in the background. But when he did speak he was polite, seemed reasonable. He was quite formal in a way. He didn't have the quick temperament of the others. Or the brutality that James often showed when he interacted with his victims."

Bella flinched at this reminder. Jacob growled softly as he clutched her to his taut body. He couldn't imagine what she had gone through at the hands of Tori's former mate. It angered him that the red head could reference it so lightly with Bella sitting so close. "Do you even feel guilty for your part in his sick games?" He demanded.

"Easy, Jake." Charlie warned him. "As much as I hate to say it the past cannot be changed. We need to focus on the here and now."

"He's right." Bella agreed with difficulty. She breathed deeply to try and compose herself. "I'm alright."

Jacob continued to glare at Tori, but he kept quiet as she resumed speaking. "I got the impression he was very loyal to his masters." She continued harshly. "Like I said he was a lot calmer than the other guards. He dispatched of his victims and went on his way, showing no feelings of triumph or gloating like his companions. He definitely showed no remorse."

"I'm sorry about your sister." Bella whispered. Despite Tori's best attempts to hide it, everyone could see it was hurting her talking about Anne.

"I don't need your pity." Tori hissed.

"Tori." Charlie grabbed her hand, pulling her attention on to him. "Bella wasn't pitying you. None of us are. She was showing empathy. You need to learn the difference."

Tori snatched her hand back and cradled it in her other one. She turned away and looked out of the windscreen toward the parked Mercedes. It still hadn't moved _._ "He's a tracker—a tracker a thousand times more gifted than James was. His ability is loosely related to what James used to do. He catches the… flavour? I don't know how to describe it… the tenor… of someone's mind and then he follows that. It works over immense distances."

"Jeez, how are we supposed to deal with this guy?" Charlie ran his fingers restlessly through his hair. "You are effectively saying he can trace anyone anywhere."

"As long as he's come into contact with them or they him." Tori pointed out. "That would be me and..." She glanced at Bella still huddled in Jacob's arms.

"Not me." Bella suddenly revealed to everyone's surprise.

"What?" Tori demanded angrily. "That's impossible. You came into contact with him in Italy."

Bella cleared her throat awkwardly. She hadn't really been open about what had happened within the Volturi's castle before. She hadn't lied exactly, merely omitted some of the more important bits, mainly because she didn't understand fully what had happened. Edward had always refused to discuss it after the event. "I think I'm resistant to some of their powers."

"Explain." Tori snapped. She ignored Charlie's warning glare as she twisted around in the front seat and faced Bella.

Jacob shifted so he was like a physical barrier between them, but he too looked at Bella in confusion. "What do you mean?" He asked more gently.

Bella's cheeks burned as she gulped down her anxiety. "I didn't keep this from any of you deliberately. I just felt it was irrelevant. I don't understand why...but none of Volturi's gifts worked on me. Not Aro's, not Jane's or her twin, Alec. I resisted all of them. I told you before that Edward could never read my mind." She looked pleadingly at Jacob. "Which leads me to think that Demetri's power wouldn't work on me either."

"James tracked you." Tori reminded her sarcastically.

"With your help." Bella retorted bitterly. "And we all know now that Alice had her part in that. He was led to me."

Tori fell silent for a few seconds. She sank back into her seat, her expression thoughtful. "I have never heard of this ability before. Not in a human."

"What ability?" Charlie was hurt that Bella had kept such vital information to herself. How could she consider something like that irrelevant? He saw Jacob was as confused as he was. Bella looked stricken as she gazed at both of them anxiously.

"It seems that your daughter possesses a natural immunity from the mental powers of vampires. Interesting." Tori tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as she considered all the possibilities in her mind. "You continue to surprise me, Bella. It also gives another explanation as to why the Volturi are so desperate for you to be turned, your mental prowess would be significantly enhanced as a vampire. But your unique blood is why the Cullens want you to remain human. What a paradox."

"I'm just me." Bella whispered. She met Jacob's troubled gaze with her own. "I'm nobody special."

"You're special to me." Jacob said tenderly as he smoothed a lock of her luxuriant hair back from her pale face. "I love you." His loving smile eased the tension in her body. She had been so worried that her unwillingness to share every little detail of her time in Volterra had hurt him.

"Your shield or whatever you want to call it could be useful to us." Tori was already planning ahead. "I wonder just how powerful it is in you right now. You clearly don't know how you are projecting it. And I have no way of being able to teach you." She huffed irritably as she kept a careful watch on the Mercedes. The car still hadn't moved. "What I wouldn't give to hear what those two are talking about."

"We need to bug the car." Charlie leaned forward in his seat, sighing in frustration. "We just can't get close enough."

"Modern technology is no match for a vampire. Anything you use would quickly be discovered and they would then know that someone is on to them." Tori dismissed that idea.

"I would try and creep over there but I can't risk leaving Bella. The little witch already caught one glimpse of her tonight." Jacob was just as frustrated as the police chief.

"I could go with you." Bella suggested cautiously.

"No way." Charlie protested straight away. "Tori tell her."

A sardonic smile crossed Tori's lips. "The choice is hers. If the wolf boy carries her on his back I don't see the problem with it."

"See." Bella was triumphant, though surprised at Tori's support.

"Jake, you won't go along with this crazy plan." Charlie looked in his direction, already certain in his mind that his best friend's son wouldn't even consider it. "Tell her it's too dangerous."

"It's crazy." Jacob told Bella sternly.

"Yes." Bella agreed seriously.

"At last you're making sense." Charlie was satisfied now that the ludicrous idea had been dismissed. He settled back in his seat to continue to keep watch on the Cullens car.

Jacob opened the passenger door, causing Charlie to spin around again in horror. "Keep a hold on him." Jacob said to Tori as he quickly climbed out of the Jeep with Bella clinging to his back like a baby monkey.

"Jacob!" Charlie roared as he began to shove open his own door. But his cry was stifled as Tori clamped an icy hand over his mouth and yanked him backwards. He was forced to watch Jacob fleeing into the darkness as stealthily as a cat, carrying his precious daughter with him.

* * *

"Is this close enough?" Bella whispered in Jacob's ear.

"Yes." Jacob whispered back. They were hiding out in some bushes a few feet from the parked Mercedes. Jacob had hunkered down and Bella had slid silently off his back and was now hunched down beside him. "Stay as still as you can. We're downwind from the car. They won't catch our scent."

Bella didn't say anymore. She could see Jacob was straining to hear what was going on behind the blackened windows of the car. His brow was furrowed in concentration. She wondered if the Mercedes was sound proof. It was something she had never bothered to ask Edward. She had only ridden in the Mercedes twice, firstly when she had been fleeing with Alice and Jasper to escape James, secondly on the journey to the airport before they flew to Italy. Bella shuddered at the memory and nestled closer to Jacob's side.

" _You took a risk coming here._ " Alice's voice was faint, but Jacob could just make out the words. _"Carlisle is getting suspicious. He's questioning why you haven't asked to see Bella in the flesh."_

" _I had to see you_." Demetri's tone was deeper, rough with jealousy. Jacob held his breath as he tried to catch the tracker's response. " _This is going on too long. I miss you, darling. The thought of that creep, Jasper, putting his hands on you. Posing as your mate. It sickens me. He is deliberately baiting me by touching you so intimately I know it."_

 _"It's an act, Dee. You have to stop being so impetuous or we will be discovered. There is a lot at stake here. I've told you this countless times."_ Alice said crossly. " _You need to leave. Make an excuse. Tell Carlisle and Edward that Aro has called you back to Italy. One stray thought from you in Edward's vicinity then the game is up."_

 _"Edward Cullen is a weak fool."_ Demetri was dismissive _. "It's easy to manipulate him. I'm careful to keep my thoughts only on the lies we concocted together. When I am around him I smell his fear. He's terrified."_

" _Still, we need to be cautious. I promise that this will be all over soon and we'll be together again."_ Alice placated him.

Jacob heard the vamps kissing. He grimaced, shaking his head and trying to shut out the disgusting images this provoked in his head. He caught Bella watching him curiously. She had no idea what was going on in the car. Jacob thanked the spirits that the windows were blacked out. He motioned for her to climb on to his back again. When he was certain that she was securely in place, he broke cover and dashed toward the Jeep and safety.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	83. Chapter 83

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Three**

Charlie walked out of the late night grocery store carrying some supplies. He had bought food, drink and a lot of snacks to keep Jake's bottomless pit of a stomach filled. He felt weary and the back of his neck ached from where Tori had yanked him back into the Jeep. His face darkened at the memory. He still hadn't forgiven her for that even though Jacob and Bella's risky move had paid off. There was no longer any doubt that Alice Cullen was in it up to her neck.

"Do you want some help with that?" Tori came out of nowhere, startling him.

"For fucks sake will you stop creeping up on me like that." Charlie growled as he put his hand over his racing heart.

"I'm sorry I asked." Tori snapped as she shot him a stony glare.

"Whatever." Charlie muttered as he continued on his journey.

Tori kept pace with him, waiting for him to say something. But he continued to deliberately ignore her and she began to get irate. "What is your problem?" She demanded eventually. "Are you still sulking because you were overpowered by a woman? I had to restrain you. If you'd gotten out you could have ruined everything."

"Just leave me alone." Charlie said angrily.

"Why?"

"I need some space to think." Charlie was slowly losing his temper. He was tired and felt completely drained. He lashed out at Tori because she was his closest target. "I can't breathe with you around. You get in my head and things become muddled. Just go away."

"Done." Tori snarled as she whirled around and vanished into the darkness.

Charlie groaned, dropping the bags of groceries onto the ground. "Dammit." He cussed, rubbing the back of his aching neck. He wished he could take back what he'd just said, but it was too late now.

* * *

 _Bella was back on top of the cliff. She breathed deeply, the sea air filling her lungs. The grey water stirred below the cliff. She closed her eyes, listening to the pleading voice in her head. Edward's beautiful, velvet voice. She hesitated, preparing to jump, when something slammed into her. She expected to hit the ground, but spiralled in the air and landed on a hard chest. It was Edward. He had his arms wrapped around her in a cold embrace. Bella felt confused and disorientated. She was no longer on the cliff edge but within the confines of the Volturi stronghold instead. Edward was pulling her along with him. In front of them was Alice. She was following Demetri as he led them down a long narrow tunnel. It was damp, the rank smell coming from the drainage system clogged her lungs, making her cough._

 _They reached the lobby of the castle. Bella felt panic rising in her chest as she heard the murmur of voices. She looked wildly at Edward, waiting for him to explain what was going on. He was looking directly ahead, his expression stoic. Demetri had paused. He was smiling, his reddened eyes glowing with an added lustre of excitement. Alice was beside him, she seemed relaxed, unlike Edward who was standing stiffly as if braced for something unpleasant. The voices drifted closer. Bella could hear children amongst them. Dread filled her heart as the owners of the voices came into view._

 _It was the tourists. Innocent men, women and children. They followed obediently behind one of the most beautiful women Bella had ever seen. She reminded Bella of Rosalie, although they looked nothing alike in appearance-it was just her beauty, too, was exceptional, unforgettable. Bella couldn't look away. She was frozen, eyes wide with fear. This stunning woman was Heidi. Her long mahogany hair swung lustrously around her shoulders as she led the excitable group of tourists to their doom. Bella wanted to cry out a warning, but she remained anchored in place, the words caught in her throat. She was forced to watch as the tourists continued on into the depths of the castle. A child tripped. It was Alice who helped the little boy to rise. His mother thanked Alice, who smiled graciously in response. The boy had scraped his knee, small droplets of blood trickled down his leg. His mother scooped her crying child up into her arms and carried on after the others._

 _Bella watched them disappear around the corner. She could hear them but no longer see. Nausea welled in her throat as she returned her attention to Alice. The little psychic, unaware that she was being watched by Bella, raised her forefinger to her lips. A small droplet of the boy's blood quivered on the pad of her finger. Then, in slow motion, Bella saw Alice place her finger into her mouth, sucking on it, her eyes closing in pleasure, before opening again as she flashed a small smile in Demetri's direction._

 _The sickness rose in Bella's throat. She tried to break free from Edward, but his hold on her was too tight. She wanted to scream at Alice. She wanted to wipe the triumphant smile off the little pixie's face. She opened her mouth but the words got stuck. Edward seemed completely oblivious. He moved forward again, following Demetri and Alice as they entered the main chamber._

 _Then the screams began. The feeding frenzy had begun. Bella finally found her voice. She was screaming along with them, venting her despair into the empty air. Edward tried to calm her down, but she continued to scream until her voice dried to a whisper. Her surroundings melted away and she was once again poised on top of the cliff. Edward's beautiful, velvet voice filled her head. She hesitated, preparing to jump, when something slammed against her. She gasped, expecting to hit the ground, but spiralled in the air and landed on a warm chest instead. A very familiar warm chest._

It was Jacob. Her Jacob. Bella breathed him in as she woke up from her nightmare. He smelled like the forest after a rainstorm-clean and fresh. His arms felt good around her body. Safe and strong. He kissed her forehead and rocked her soothingly.

"It's okay, Bells. I'm here."

* * *

Charlie stood outside his room, a lit cigarette in his hand, staring into the darkness. He heard his daughter's distressed cries coming from the room next to his, followed soon after by Jacob's soothing voice as he comforted her. Moisture filled Charlie's eyes as a lump lodged in his throat. His instinct was to burst into the room to help his only child but he knew it was best left to Jacob. How many times had he witnessed Bella's nightmares? Now he knew why she suffered so badly. He sucked on his cigarette again, letting the nicotine fill his lungs. It had been years since he'd smoked. But after everything that had happened on this trip he had decided to indulge again now alcohol was off the table. His nerves were in shreds. Charlie blew a smoke ring up into the air, watching as it spiralled upwards in the light breeze. He could still hear Bella crying, but it was faint now.

"Smoking is a disgusting habit." Tori appeared out of the shadows, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"So is drinking blood." Charlie retorted scathingly as he flicked the cigarette onto the ground and stamped on it.

"Touché." Tori replied sardonically.

Charlie sighed heavily as he ground the heel of his boot on the abandoned cigarette. "I'm sorry about earlier." He apologised.

A slow smile crossed Tori's face. "I suppose I should apologise for nearly wringing your neck. But it was for a good reason."

"Very funny." Charlie muttered.

"Does it still hurt?" Tori asked as she came to stand beside him.

"I've had worse." Charlie said grudgingly.

"I could massage it for you." Tori offered with a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Please, don't. You'd probably break my neck this time." A glimmer of a smile lit up Charlie's face.

"Friends again?" Tori asked as she extended her hand toward him.

"Friends." Charlie agreed as he took her hand and shook it.

* * *

"I saw her." Bella whispered frantically to Jacob as she rested against him. "Why am I only remembering this now? I saw the way she interacted with Demetri. Did I block it out somehow?" She wrung her hands together in despair.

"You were deeply traumatised, Bells. Maybe it was the only way your mind could cope with the situation. What you witnessed was horrifying. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." Jacob cuddled her on his lap as she hid her face in the crook of his neck. A slow burning rage was beginning to swell in his heart. He would make Alice Cullen suffer for the pain she had inflicted on Bella. Those poor innocent tourists. It was sickening to think about. No wonder Bella had buried the memories deep down inside and refused to think about or discuss it again.

Bella sucked in a deep breath and raised her head again. She felt more composed now. Her memories had been unlocked from their secure vault and she had no choice but to deal with them now. "Where do we go from here, Jake? There is so much going against us."

"I don't know yet." Jacob pressed a kiss into her hair. "I know one thing though. I'll be glad to get home."

"Home." Bella rolled the word on her tongue. It felt good. Jacob was her home. She rubbed her cheek against his chest before gazing up into his worried eyes. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Always." Jacob gave her his special smile, making her heart melt. She rose to meet his lips. They kissed passionately. His lips were warm and soft against hers. He tugged her lower lip down gently with his teeth. Bella opened her mouth to his and his tongue fluttered against hers. Bella shivered. Jacob wrapped his arms more firmly around her.

A soft knock on the door interrupted them. Jacob growled quietly in the back of his throat. "Your dad's radar is on full alert." He complained as he reluctantly released Bella from his tight embrace.

"He's probably got the room bugged." Bella quipped as she gave him one last peck on the mouth before calling for her dad to come inside.

Charlie poked his head around the door. He noted that they were both fully dressed and nodded in satisfaction, before finally walking into the room carrying some food with him. "I thought you kids might be hungry."

 _"I'm hungry, but not for food_." Jacob thought sourly in his head. Aloud, he said. "Always, Charlie."

"I thought so." Charlie's face relaxed into a smile as he began to share out the snacks.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	84. Chapter 84

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belongs to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Four**

Home. They were back home now. The official definition of home in the dictionary was- _the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household._ Bella didn't agree with this definition, to her the word was beginning to have a whole different meaning. Home meant the people you surrounded yourself with. It wasn't a place or a building. You could travel anywhere and put down roots, but home was where the heart is. And her heart belonged to Jacob, her father, and their wider circle of friends and family. This eclectic mix of people had become her entire world, they had taken her in when they had every right to cast her out. She had caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people. Their lives had been put at risk as a result of her messed up decisions in the past. But despite this they still welcomed her into their inner circle with arms wide open. And she was eternally grateful.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Jacob whispered as if Charlie might hear him, even though Charlie had left for work long before Jacob had arrived so they could steal some alone time together.

"So many things." Bella smiled, rolling lazily onto her back as she felt Jacob's warm hand caress her stomach.

"Like?" Jacob leaned over her, removing his hand and replacing it with his mouth as he kissed her stomach, his lips burning against her skin.

Bella stretched. She loved the heat that surged through her whenever he touched her, melting everything inside. She shuddered, feeling as light as air as his lips moved fluidly up her body, finding every inch of exposed skin and kissing it, sending her spiralling. "I love it when you do that."

Jacob pulled back, taking in her nakedness with a hungry glance. Then slowly, methodically, he began to kiss her, his tongue fluttering against hers. "You still haven't told me what's on your mind." He murmured against her swollen lips.

"I was thinking about home and what it means to me." Bella settled on his chest, her long silky hair fanning out around her. The fine strands tickled his skin. She felt her eyes well up and she blinked away the tears before they had a chance to fall. "Home is not just about a place where you live. It's also an idea-one where the heart is." Bella raised her head so she could gaze into Jacob's enquiring eyes. "My heart belongs with you. No matter where we are, as long as we're together, that's home. You're my home, Jake."

Despite her best intentions, Bella's tears spilled over. She ducked her head, her tears coating her lashes as she bit down on her bottom lip. Ever since they had come back from their road trip she found her emotions had been heightened, made more so by the overwhelming support she had received from the others. She had been expecting anger, or if not that, at the very least resentment. Trouble was coming to their door and once again she was the cause of it. But to her surprise the pack had accepted this latest turn of events with quiet stoicism. No blame had been placed, instead they offered her reassurances, promising that they would keep her safe. None had been more vocal then Leah and Seth. They offered her love and for the first time she believed that she was actually worthy of it.

Jacob gathered Bella up in his arms. He understood what she was trying to say. He kissed away her tears, murmuring how much he loved her. Eventually the kisses turned passionate. They became swept up in their desire for each other. Jacob made love to Bella. She breathed deeply, taking in his scent; the fragrance of pine; the richness of fresh tilled earth. She clung to him, he was her anchor, her safe place. She never wanted to let him go.

* * *

Leah sat in Charlie's beloved recliner and Seth grabbed the backrest and spun his sister around in circles. The old chair groaned in protest. The Clearwater's were back on Bella watch while Jacob ran with the rest of his pack. Bella watched the siblings antics in amusement. She was curled up on the sofa eating cereal. She had already made Leah and Seth a cooked breakfast and was taking the chance to have her own.

"While the others are out patrolling through muddy fields, we get to play with your dad's chair." Leah cackled as her brother twisted the recliner around so fast that it would have made a normal human sea sick.

"I second that." Seth crowed as he suddenly upended the chair, sending his older sister tumbling to the ground.

"Hey." Leah scowled, scrambling back on to her feet in a flash.

Seth had already taken her place in the chair. He laughed gleefully as he spun himself around using his long legs for traction. Bella nearly choked on her cornflakes as she watched Leah make a grab for Seth and haul him unceremoniously out of the recliner. Seth retaliated by catching his sister around the waist. He was at least a foot taller than Leah now. He may still be slenderer than his brothers but he was quickly beginning to match them in strength. Somehow he managed to haul a protesting Leah over his shoulder and darted out of the lounge, through the kitchen and into the back garden with her. Bella abandoned her breakfast and followed them out into the open, trying to catch her breath as she was laughing so much.

It was raining heavily. Bella stopped on the back porch, not willing to get her hair wet as she'd spent the best part of the morning straightening it. Seth had no such qualms. He leapt down the steps, still carrying his sister over his shoulder. Leah was wriggling violently, trying to break free as she issued dire threats about what was coming his way if he didn't release her. Seth just grinned, not intimidated at all. He knew when his sister was blasting out hot air. However his lapse in concentration cost him. Leah swung her body around, one arm latching around his neck. This unbalanced Seth and he tripped as Leah's weight pulled him down. The siblings fell to the ground in a heap, getting completely soaked from the long wet grass.

Bella settled down on the top step as she continued to watch brother and sister spar with each other. She was still laughing. It felt good to unwind and to forget about the seriousness of the situation she was in for a moment. Bella knew that Leah and Seth were doing this for her benefit and she loved them for it. Leah was on her feet again. Seth lay on the ground, pretending to gasp for air as his sister rested one foot on his hip, raising her arms in the air and flexing her muscles. "I'm the winner." She declared triumphantly as she staged a mock bow to her audience of one.

Bella rose to her feet, clapping loudly. "Here's to girl power!" She yelled loudly.

"You said it, girlfriend." Leah joined in. That was until Seth grabbed her ankles and sent her tumbling to the ground again, rising quickly to his feet as he did a victory dance around his fallen sister. His antics sent Bella into another fit of giggles as she let the endorphins fill her body, chasing away the tension that was her constant companion these days.

* * *

Charlie came home late, carrying a mountain of paperwork with him. He had been shocked at the extent of it when he had come back from his impromptu road trip and returned to work. It just reminded him once again that he was sick of his job. He wasn't enjoying it anymore. Especially with what he knew now. His perspective on life had changed. Dumping the files on the kitchen table he went to the fridge and pulled out a juice box, quickly popping the carton open and slaking his thirst.

"You're back."

Bella's voice made Charlie jump. He spun around, spilling the juice down his shirt. "Jeez, kiddo, you're beginning to move as quietly as Jake and Tori."

"Sorry." Bella smiled faintly as she emerged into the light.

Charlie frowned. "Please don't tell me you're here alone. Where's Jake?"

"Jake is upstairs. He's completely exhausted." Bella pulled out a chair and sat down. She glanced up at her father's haggard face, he looked as tired as Jacob had when he came home from a long day patrolling. They were all pushing themselves too hard and barely sleeping. "You need to rest, dad." She cautioned him.

"I'm trying." Charlie sank down into a vacant chair and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "You should as well. Why are you awake? Another nightmare?" He asked, his voice softening in sympathy.

"Yes." Bella admitted. Her face paled as she tried to shake off the remnants of her latest dream. Luckily she had managed to surface before the screams started. She didn't want to disturb Jacob when he needed rest himself. "I'm making a coffee. Do you want one?"

"No." Charlie shook his head. He reached out and placed his hand over hers. "I'm beat. I don't need caffeine to keep me awake. And neither should you. Why don't you try some warm milk instead?"

"Maybe." Bella looked at her dad fondly. Warm milk might have helped when she was five but she was older now. "You should go on up to bed yourself."

Charlie glanced at the monstrous pile of paperwork and stifled a yawn. "I guess so. That lot can wait until the morning." He stood up, patting Bella on the shoulder. "Try and get some sleep yourself, kiddo. Try that warm milk."

"Thanks, dad. Goodnight."

"Night, Bells." Charlie dropped a kiss on top of her head as he bid her goodnight.

* * *

Once he was gone, Bella went into the lounge and curled up on the sofa. She had found one of Jacob's t-shirts and she tugged it over her head, pulling it over her knees like a tent. The house seemed so quiet. Even though she knew Jacob and Charlie were sleeping just upstairs she felt alone. It wasn't a frightening feeling, it just gave her more time to reflect. Since their return everyone had been trying to come up with a plan of what to do next. But no one seemed to have any answers. This was so much bigger than any of them could anticipate. One wrong move and everything could come tumbling down around them.

Bella caught sight of her reflection in the flat screen. She looked like a scared little mouse huddled on the sofa. She turned away, feeling small and insignificant, wondering once again why someone like her could get caught up in the crosshairs of two warring sets of vampires. On one side you had the Cullens, desperate to keep her alive because of her special golden blood. Then you had the Volturi, who were keen for her to be changed, desperate to make use of her shielding ability. Then there was Alice, the spy, the keeper of secrets and the visionary, playing both sides against each other. Her enemy.

Bella turned all this over in her mind, thinking hard. She was so desperate to take control. To save herself and stop having to rely on others for protection. She was weary of feeling such a heavy burden of guilt for involving the others in her mess. She was frightened that someone was going to get seriously hurt or worse in their efforts to protect her. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. There had to be a way to avoid a fight. Some way to resolve all of this. She was the problem. If she didn't exist or was dead then none of this would...

 _"If I was dead."_ Bella murmured as she sat up straight. She uncurled her legs from underneath her and rested her bare feet on the cold floor. She clasped her trembling hands in her lap as a solution unfurled in her mind. In the end it was simple. Her heart was racing in her chest. It was a risky move she was planning. But if it worked...

Bella took a deep breath to compose herself. She had to find Charlie's cell phone so she could contact Tori.

* * *

Bella waited on the porch swing, wrapped in one of Charlie's thick hunting jackets. It's not that she didn't trust the red head. Tori had proved herself trustworthy countless times, but it wouldn't hurt to have her father's scent surrounding her when she pitched her crazy idea to Tori. Bella stared into the darkness, straining her eyes for any sign of the vampire.

"This should be good."

"Damn." Bella jumped as Tori suddenly appeared beside her. "You startled me."

Tori inhaled sharply, her eyes amused as she looked at Charlie's jacket swamping Bella. "You must be desperate if you're wearing that old thing."

"I am desperate." Bella admitted quietly. She met the red head's knowing gaze steadily. "In the end it comes down to the two of us. We have to save each other now. It's the only way we can be free of all this, Tori. You know I'm right."

"Yes." Tori agreed harshly. "You said you had a plan."

Bella's brown eyes glistened in the darkness. She wrapped Charlie's hunting jacket tighter around her slim frame. "You have to kill me, Tori." A single tear travelled down her cheek. "And then you have to let Jake kill you."

"You want to fake your death and mine." Tori murmured.

"It's the only way." Bella whispered brokenly. "If we plan this carefully, if Jake and the pack are far enough away when you commit the act, then Alice will _see_." Bella leaned forward eagerly, causing the porch swing to creak on its axis.

"She'll see your death in a vision." Tori studied Bella carefully. "All her machinations would come crumbling around her. She would have no choice but to report your death to her masters. If Aro uses his power to read her mind he will be convinced of your death because she is. And the Cullens the same when Edward probes her thoughts."

"Her vision will be cut off once Jake pretends to attack you in his grief stricken state. You will be presumed dead, that you finally got your revenge on me after fooling all of us into trusting you." Bella looped a lock of her hair behind her ear and sat back in her seat, sighing wearily.

"Once you are dead, you have to stay dead." Tori said softly. "You'll have to assume a whole new identity."

"I know." Another tear slid down Bella's cheek. "But isn't that what you had to do when you were turned. You survived and so can I. If killing Bella Swan means saving those I love, then it's worth it."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	85. Chapter 85

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Five**

Bella had the idea that if she cooked a sumptuous meal that afterward Jacob and Charlie would be so sated, that they would be relaxed enough to listen to her crazy idea without dismissing it out of hand. But it wasn't that easy. She hadn't factored in how easily Jacob could read her body language. He was suspicious right away. He noted the anxious lilt in her voice every time she spoke. He recognised the agitated way she looped her hair behind her ear as she kept up a stream of nervous chatter while she cooked. She was so highly strung that her hands shook when she served the food. He kept quiet though, not wanting to alert Charlie to the fact that there was something amiss with Bella. The police chief was too frazzled dealing with his gargantuan amount of paperwork to notice that his only child was quietly falling apart.

"What are you not telling me?" Jacob asked Bella in concern as he helped her wash up the dishes once they'd eaten.

"I don't know what you mean." Bella denied as she looked at him like a frightened rabbit. One of the dishes slipped out of her trembling fingers but Jacob managed to catch it before it wound up smashing on the floor. He returned it to her silently, gazing at her enquiringly. "You know me too well." Bella sighed, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her secret.

Jacob slipped his arm around her waist and led her to a vacant chair. Charlie had already retreated to the lounge with a few files stashed under his arm. "You're really jumpy. What's got you so spooked?"

Bella sat down and pulled at her long hair restlessly. She wound the silky strands around and around her forefinger. "Please don't kick off when I tell you."

"I'm not going to promise that." Jacob pulled up a chair opposite Bella and sat down, studying her warily. "I take it I'm not gonna like what you've got to say."

"You're probably going to say that I'm crazy to even consider it and the plan is full of holes." Bella bit down on her lower lip before drawing in a sharp breath. "My dad should probably hear this, too."

"I'll go and get him." Jacob put his hand on her knee for a few seconds before rising to his feet again and leaving her alone to stew in the kitchen. Bella fidgeted agitatedly as she waited for him to return. She could hear the quiet hum of conversation in the lounge while he spoke to Charlie. In her eagerness to talk over her plan with Tori, she had forgotten that Jacob would be hurt that she hadn't come to him first. She expected her father was going to feel the same way. This made things so much more difficult and she wished she had handled things differently. But it was too late now. She heard the heavy tread of her father's boots as he marched toward the kitchen. Jacob's footfalls were silent as always. Her time had run out.

* * *

"No." Charlie said sternly as he dismissed her idea out of hand. "That's crazy talk and I cannot believe you pitched this insane plan to Tori and worse that she agreed to it. Me and her are gonna have words."

"Did you even hear what I said?" Bella questioned him in frustration. "It's the only solution. If this carries on much longer we're gonna have the Volturi on our doorstep. If that happens that would be the end for all of us, do you understand? I won't have danger brought to our door because of me. If they think I'm dead, if Alice does and the Cullens too, that will solve all our problems. Alice will think that Jake killed Tori so that ends any chance of them seeking retribution on her..."

"You haven't thought this through properly, Bella." Charlie interjected angrily. "Your unnecessary feelings of guilt are making you rash. There are too many improbabilities here. There are too many things that can go wrong. You fake your death, where are you gonna go, huh? Are you gonna travel half away across the world and try to hide? What's stopping Alice Cullen seeing you pop up in her visions again at a later date? Even if you gave yourself a whole new identity she could still see you. Are you prepared to leave your home, me, Jake..."

"She won't be leaving." This time it was Jacob who interrupted Charlie's tirade. He gazed at Bella thoughtfully. She was breathing shallowly as she fought to keep her composure, but Jacob could read the signs, his girl was about to explode. He reached out and took her shaking hands in his. "You're not leaving."

"Are you deaf, Jake?" Charlie asked in exasperation. "That's exactly what she was implying."

"No she wasn't." Jacob didn't hide his annoyance at the older man. "That's not what she was saying and that's not what she is planning to do. She would never leave me or this place. This is her home... _I'm her home_." His tone softened as he turned to face her again, squeezing her fingers lightly.

Bella exhaled in relief. Jacob understood. He wasn't mad at her. "I would never leave you. And I know you can't leave here."

"Then what you are saying makes no damn sense." Charlie threw his hands up in the air and shook his head in disbelief.

"You're right, dad. Alice could see me again if I'm careless. But she won't be able to see me if I move onto the reservation permanently. I will be surrounded by the pack on a daily basis and that will be block her visions." Bella's brown eyes glistened as she looked steadily at Jacob. "I know that means I won't be able to go outside the reservation for a long time. Maybe a few years. I know it means assuming a whole new identity. I need to dye my hair, wear contacts. No one must recognise me. But it will be worth it."

"That's not enough." Charlie warned her, still not convinced. "And there's another flaw in your plan. What about Tori? Isn't there a chance Alice Cullen will see her?"

"Tori has gifts of her own." Bella reminded him. "She's survived a long time, she's canny and has already fooled Alice on multiple occasions. Alice never saw her plan to come to the graduation party that she planned, she never saw Tori arriving at the dinner thrown in Carlisle's honour by the hospital trustees when they awarded him that money for his research. There are ways to manipulate her visions if you are careful enough and Tori is a master at evasion. Why do you think the pack had so much trouble trying to catch her? She'll be perfectly fine."

"It's still too risky. There are too many variables at play. Even if you convince Alice that you are dead and everything works out just as you planned, how do you know these Volturi kings will believe her?" Charlie was still edgy about the whole enterprise. "There is no way that you can check if she even goes to Italy to tell them. She might flee to save her own skin or something."

"She can't flee, they will find her and she knows that." Bella let go of Jacob's hands and faced her father instead. "Alice will have no choice but to report to her masters directly. She will need to convince them that my death was something she couldn't prevent, that it was impossible for her to anticipate Tori's undying thirst for revenge. Otherwise she will pay the price for her failure. And as for how I will know that she has done so..." She paused, her eyes darting briefly to Jacob. "I think I know someone on the inside who will help us, someone I know who has never been comfortable with what Carlisle and the others were doing, and who would be outraged if she were told about Alice manipulating her and everyone else."

"I think I know." A slow smile spread across Jacob's handsome face.

"Rosalie." Bella said aloud for Charlie's benefit. "With her on side I know that we can pull this off."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading this very short chapter. More to come. I just didn't have time to edit the whole thing, LOL ;)**_


	86. Chapter 86

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Six**

Charlie was still very uneasy about the whole idea. His daughter was planning on changing her whole life. Any opportunity she would have to go to college or even travel would no longer be possible. Her world would be limited to the reservation for years to come, or if she did dare to leave it, one of the pack would have to accompany her. He tried his best to cast doubt on the enterprise, secretly hoping that Jacob would back him up, or Billy at least. But to his chagrin none of them did. Everyone she pitched the idea to was excited about it. Charlie knew why. It gave them all an out. If it worked they could all go back to a semi-normal existence. It annoyed Charlie that it was his child making all the sacrifices. Bella was absolving the others from any responsibility. Even after all this time she was still sacrificing herself for what she saw as the greater good and it upset him.

"Bells, you are giving up everything." He pleaded with her. "I don't think you've thought this through enough."

"This is the way is has to be." Bella was adamant and refused to change her mind. "Everyone else is supporting me. Why can't you?"

"Because they're thinking of themselves." Charlie saw the anger and the denial flash in her eyes. "And before you rip me a new one that includes Jake, too."

"How can you say that? Jake is the most unselfish person I know." Bella was incredulous. She knew how much her father admired and cared about Jacob. For him to say something like that was shocking.

"Everyone has a little bit of selfishness in them, Bells. I doubt Jake even realises that in this case he is being selfish." Charlie sighed heavily. "I love him like my own son, but this way he gets everything he wants. He can never leave the res because of who and what he is, and if you go through with this plan, neither can you. This way he won't have to worry about you broadening your horizons, meeting new people, going to college or travelling. All things that might just take you away from him. I know he loves the bones of you, but in this instance I think he's thinking of his own needs, his own wants and not yours."

"Do you know what upsets me the most about what you've just said?" Bella replied sadly. "It's bad enough that you think that Jake wouldn't want the best for me, or that this plan that I came up with just fell right into his lap, meaning he gets everything you think he wants." She jabbed at her chest to make the point. "But that your lack of faith that I don't even know my own mind, that he and everyone else is somehow manipulating me to go through with this decision, well that hurts worst of all."

"You are misunderstanding me." Charlie snapped in frustration. "I do have faith in you. But I also know you. You always feel the need to sacrifice yourself for the good of others. All those plans you were making about going to college, seeing more of the w..."

"I can't go to college if I'm really dead." Bella interrupted him harshly. "And that's what is going to happen if I don't go through with this plan."

Charlie's face paled. "Bells, don't say things like that. If we just wait and see maybe we can come up with an alternative plan."

"NO." Bella cried. "There is no more time and there is no alternative. I don't want to hear anymore, dad. I've made my decision and you need to accept it."

Her words had an air of finality to them. Charlie nodded abruptly as he rose stiffly out of his chair and marched out of the room. He had said his piece and despite his reservations there was nothing he could do.

* * *

Bella sat on the driftwood log staring out at the ocean as Leah talked. "He didn't like your plan?"

Sighing, Bella nodded. "It's a good plan." She added with a shrug of the shoulders.

"It is a good plan." Leah regarded Bella thoughtfully as she dug her hands in the pockets of her boy shorts. Despite the chill she was dressed as if it was summer. She let the wet sand sink between her toes. "But is there is a grain of truth in what Charlie said."

"No...I don't know...maybe." Bella conceded grudgingly. She was always amazed at the she wolf's perceptiveness.

"You do like to play the martyr." Leah ignored Bella's scowl. "If you're not going through with this crazy plan for the right reasons then you shouldn't go through with it at all." She sat down next to Bella and let the cold wind lift her hair off her hot neck. "Because years from now you could some to resent those you made the sacrifice for and they will be the ones who love you the most."

"I could never resent Jake or any of you." Bella was affronted that Leah would even suggest that.

"Are you sure about that?" Leah continued earnestly. "Do you really understand what it will be like for you here, Bella? How different your life will be? Jake is bound to this place, and if you are bound to him, then this will always be your home. Not just for the few years you hide out here, but for the rest of your life. Can you say that you will always be happy here?" Leah noticed the changing emotions crossing Bella's pretty face as she reflected on her words.

"Living on the reservation is not that easy. It's not romantic. It gets isolated here. You've lived other places. What if you want to return there someday, just like your mother did after she married Charlie? If you are really set on going ahead with this plan and pursuing a life with Jake here, you need to be set on making this your life, some ties can't be broken."

Bella sucked in a deep breath, hurt by Leah's insinuation that she could selfishly leave those she loved behind on a whim like Renee. "You give me no credit. I know what it's like here. I've been right there with Jake through the worst of times. I know what he has sacrificed, what you all have. I know making a commitment to him is making a commitment to all of you, to this tribe, to this land. Your home."

Leah smiled wryly. "I wasn't trying to upset you, Bella. In fact the opposite. I just wanted you to be sure that you were thinking things through properly."

"Believe it or not Jake and I have talked about the future." Bella snuggled against Leah's side for warmth and rested her head on her friend's shoulder. "I understand that a commitment to him is a commitment to this place. We've talked about what this could mean for our children and grandchildren if we're lucky enough to have any." Bella raised her head and looked Leah in the eyes as she felt the other girl tense. "Are you okay?"

"What if your children change, Bella? What kind of danger would that place you in? You have no idea what it's like. Would you be scared? Would it change your mind?" Leah questioned bitterly.

"Are we still talking about me here...or you?" Bella asked softly. The pain in Leah's voice was evident.

"I don't know." Leah hung her head and swallowed thickly. "I don't even know if I can have children. I haven't menstruated since I phased."

"Oh, Lee." Bella slipped her arms around her friend's waist and hugged her close. Leah's head sank onto her shoulder and she began to cry, her body shaking with the effort. Bella wondered whether this was the first time Leah had admitted her fears to anybody. "I'm so sorry."

"I wonder sometimes whether that's why Sam imprinted on Emily and not me. Perhaps the spirits knew I would never be able to procreate so they pushed his wolf toward the one who could." Leah confessed.

"I don't believe that." Bella said fiercely. "Your soul mate is out there, Lee. You just haven't met them yet. It may not have worked out with you and Sam long term anyway even if Emily had never come into the picture."

"But I never got to find out." Leah mumbled bitterly. She was in control again now. She pulled away from Bella and swiped angrily at her eyes. "I don't know why I brought that up. Forget I said anything. We're supposed to be focusing on you."

"No, it's time we focused on you." Bella reached out and hooked a lock of hair behind Leah's ear before cupping her cheek in the palm of her hand. "You're a beautiful, fiercely independent, intelligent woman, Lee. You have so much to offer. We've talked about what I want but what about you? What do you want?"

Leah winced, then shut her eyes briefly. "I want those things that you and Jake were talking about. I want to be able to plan a future with a man who loves me for myself. I want children. A family." She opened her eyes again, her thick lashes soaked with her tears. "I want to be happy."

Bella's arms encircled Leah's neck as she pulled her close again. "And we will be, Lee. I promise." In that moment she knew for certain that she wasn't sacrificing anything important. Instead she was fighting for what she wanted. Charlie was wrong to doubt her intentions. She knew exactly what she was doing.

* * *

Jacob grabbed Bella as soon as she jumped out of the truck, twirling her around before carrying her up the porch steps. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Bella couldn't stop smiling.

Jacob set her carefully down on the floor just inside the door and kissed her deeply. Charlie and Billy were inside the house, but he wanted this small piece of privacy before they joined the two men. "I ordered pizza. I thought it would save you cooking."

"Very thoughtful." Bella teased lightly.

Jacob stroked Bella's hair as his expression turned serious. "You were gone longer than I expected."

"Lee and I had a few things to talk about. But everything's good. Don't worry." Bella assured him.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Jacob checked, his dark eyes clouded with worry. "If you've got any doubts we can put off calling Rosalie Cullen."

"I'm sure." Bella touched his mouth to quieten him, letting her fingers linger on his lips for a few seconds. She smiled. "I just hope that she hasn't changed her number."

"We'll soon find out." Jacob said as he took her hand and led the way inside.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	87. Chapter 87

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Seven**

It was two hours before Bella's cell buzzed indicating she had a response to the cryptic text message she had sent to Rosalie. It had been the longest two hours of her life. Even the cooking channel wasn't enough to distract her. Billy and Charlie tried to make small talk to lessen the tension, but soon gave up when no one was willing to engage with them. Jacob was as wound up as Bella, and when the reply finally came through he was the first to grab her cell.

"She wants to Face Time you." He told Bella as he passed her the phone.

"I wasn't expecting that." Bella said nervously as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "But maybe it's better to see each other than just talking on the phone."

"I'll get your lap top from my room." Jacob promptly left to retrieve it while Bella showed Charlie and Billy the terse message from Rosalie. Jacob returned swiftly, carrying Bella's laptop. He place it on the kitchen table and booted it up.

"I don't want Rose to see any of you. I want her to think I'm alone. So stay out of sight." Bella warned the others. Her emotions were flip flopping all over the place and she tried to keep a tight rein on them. This was going to be difficult enough without her showing signs of weakness in front of the statuesque blonde. She needed to remain focused.

"It's connecting." Jacob whispered hurriedly to Bella. He put a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm as sure as I'll ever be." Bella smiled faintly as she put her hand over his for a second. "You better get out of view."

"I'll be right over here." Jacob promised as he ducked around to the other side, out of sight of the laptop's camera.

Bella sucked in a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves as Rosalie's image popped up on the screen in front of her. It whooshed right out of her again when she set eyes on the stunning blonde. She had forgotten how spectacularly beautiful Rosalie was. Her long, shiny blonde hair hung in luxurious waves around her slim shoulders. Her large eyes, framed with thick black lashes, gazed coldly at Bella from the screen. Her full lips were drawn into a tight smile, obviously forced for Bella's benefit.

"I knew you would try and contact me someday." Rosalie began before Bella had a chance to issue a greeting. Her luminescent eyes darkened from golden brown to black. "Your message was very cryptic."

"Are you alone?" Bella's voice cracked as she spoke and she winced.

Rosalie tossed her hair behind her shoulders with one hand as she studied Bella disdainfully. "I am." She paused for a moment, her perfectly manicured brows drawing together. "You know something." She murmured.

Bella swallowed thickly as her eyes darted briefly toward Jacob. He smiled encouragingly at her and it gave her the courage to continue. "I know about my blood. My golden blood."

A fine quiver crossed Rosalie's lips as she drew back slightly. "It was inevitable I suppose."

"So you did know about it. You knew that Carlisle deliberately targeted me. You were complicit." Bella said stonily. Her stomach lurched as she realised she had rocked the cool blonde's composure. "You were always so hostile to me. You always warned me off. I think even though you knew what Carlisle was doing you weren't comfortable with it."

"No." Rosalie shook her head slowly. Her eyes looked haunted now, afraid. "I didn't agree with the secretive way he went about things. I pleaded with him to tell you the truth. You were so enamoured with Edward, there was hardly a possibility that you would refuse to help."

Bella blanched at this assessment of her mindset. "Why didn't he listen?"

"Carlisle has his own reasons. None of which he confided to me." Rosalie said bitterly. "When Alice called me to tell me that you were dead after jumping off that cliff. I felt so angry. That's why I called Edward and told him what had happened. I wanted him and Carlisle to hurt after yet another innocent life had been lost because of their secretive experiments. I just never expected things to spiral so much out of control and I'm sorry for that."

Bella was just about to accept her apology when something Rosalie just said caught her attention. "What did you mean when you said yet another innocent life had been lost? There have been others before me?"

"You said you knew about your blood." Rosalie whispered as a hunted expression crossed her angelic face. "I assumed you found out from Alice."

Bella's heart began to race. She held onto the edge of the table, her nails biting into the soft wood. "You tell me." She ground out.

"Bella, I don't think..."

"Tell me now. You owe me." Bella snapped.

The normally cool blonde flinched at the harshness in Bella's tone. She caught a lock of her hair in her fist and tugged on it agitatedly. Bella had never seen her so edgy. "Alice was the first to lose her life." Rosalie whispered. "She had the same rare blood type as yours. Carlisle had been travelling the globe searching for a subject and then he found out about Alice. She was in that horrific mental asylum."

"I know her story." Bella's heart was pounding in her ears. She felt like she was going to faint. Her eyes flicked to Jacob's. He looked as stunned as she felt. She wished for his comforting embrace but he couldn't alert Rosalie to his presence.

"Carlisle got a job there so he could get access to Alice. With his credentials he sailed through the interview." Rosalie was talking so fast, the words were spilling out of her. It was clear the guilt had been eating away at her for a long time and she was eager to release it. "Carlisle befriended Alice, she had been suffering horrific treatments in that asylum. He was sickened by it and he did all he could to shield her from that point onwards from the worst of the treatments."

"While experimenting on her himself." Bella recoiled in disgust.

"It wasn't quite like that, Bella." Rosalie pleaded.

"Of course it was." Bella cried, her knuckles turned white as her fingers clenched the table. "He was using her like you were all using me."

"He was kind and gentle to Alice." Rosalie's eyes glistened with pain. "He was planning to escape the asylum with her but then that damn tracker James caught wind of her scent and all was lost. Alice had seen that she would die at his hands so Carlisle's only option was to change her."

"You knew all this." Bella shook her head in disbelief as tears began to stream down her face. She wanted to scream. "That's what Edward meant when he said that Alice and I were connected. I didn't understand why he and Alice kept saying I was a part of her. She shared the same blood as me. And she knew this."

"Not until much later." Rosalie confessed.

"What?" Bella was confused. She was reviled by Rosalie, angry that the cool blonde had kept all this to herself and been complicit with Carlisle's actions. All her plans to utilise Rosalie were crumbling around her.

"After Alice was changed she suffered with amnesia. Carlisle was forced to leave her and pursue James, who was still intent on making Alice his next victim. When Carlisle returned to the hospital after chasing James off, Alice was gone. She had disappeared."

"I can't believe this." Bella's fingers sank into her hair. Her head was spinning with all this new information. The web of lies that had been constructed to hide Carlisle's despicable actions was sickening. "When did Alice find out the truth?"

"Carlisle needed help in tracking Alice down. He was concerned for her welfare. She was a newborn, vulnerable and all alone in the world. He knew of her visions. He knew that one way to pull her back toward him was to give her some semblance of hope. So he enlisted Jasper's help." Rosalie continued. "With his background and his southern charm Carlisle thought he would be the perfect lure to entice Alice into coming out of hiding. You know that Jasper is an empath. His gift was the perfect way to smooth Alice's path and soothe her past traumas."

"She thought Jasper was her future." Bella murmured. "She told me. You tricked her into believing he loved her. Is that what Edward did with me? Was his love all fake too just to draw me in?"

"Edward fell in love with you, Bella. That was all real. When he first came into your room at night to take samples of your blood he used to stay and watch you sleep. You fascinated him. Your quiet mind soothed him..."

"He took my blood without me knowing." Bella interjected furiously. "I'm such an idiot. I trusted him. I trusted all of you. That day they took my blood at school. I was going to see the nurse because I was feeling sick and he intercepted me. That was to stop me finding out my true blood type. Oh my god..."

"Bella, please." Rosalie was begging again. "I didn't want any part of this and I told them so repeatedly."

"You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better." Bella spat angrily. "Keeping quiet means you are no better than Carlisle, Edward or any of the others. No wonder Alice wanted to kill me. Finding out she had been used must have driven her crazy." Bella was blinded by angry tears now. She made out Jacob's outline as he stood up. He was fighting the urge to come to her rescue, but she shook her head subtly at him, warning him to remain quiet.

"Alice never wanted to hurt you." Rosalie appeared horrified at this assumption. "When she found out the truth about her own past she was so upset and full of anger. She raged at Carlisle, telling him that if we all didn't clear out of Forks and leave you alone she would expose him to the Volturi."

Bella was puzzled by this claim. Everything she had learned thus far had pointed to the opposite. "Are you saying it was Alice that forced you all to leave and not Edward?"

"Yes." Rosalie bowed her head again. "What Edward told you was just an excuse. Jasper didn't attack you because of a paper cut. It was pre planned. He was never going to hurt you. The whole scenario was designed to give Edward the push he needed to end things with you. He never really wanted to leave."

"But what about James' attack? You knew who he was. Carlisle knew him. What was all that for? I don't understand." Bella demanded.

Rosalie suddenly tensed. "I have to go, Bella. I'm sorry. I'll be in touch."

"Rose!" Bella screamed as the screen went dark and Rosalie's image faded into nothingness.

 _ **A/N-now what do you think of Alice? Is she really the bad guy in all this? Or is there something deeper going on? The clues are there, you just need to find them. Thanks for reading, guys. Until next time...**_


	88. Chapter 88

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thanks for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Eight**

Bella collapsed into Jacob's arms, sobbing violently. Her plan was in tatters now. There was no way she could utilise Rosalie to help fake her own death. The statuesque blonde had revealed herself as culpable as the rest of them. She may not have agreed with what Carlisle was doing but she was still complicit. More than any of the Cullens it was Rosalie who yearned to regain her humanity. She hated what she had become, though her existence had become more tolerable when she met Emmet and they mated. All this new information that had been revealed about Alice was so confusing. They had all made up their minds that the little psychic was devious and pulling all the strings here, playing off one side against the other, but was she really? Or was Alice playing a game of her own. Was Jasper her true mate or was Demetri? Could she be using them both for her own ends? And now the new information about James' attack threw up even more questions. Carlisle and the others knew about James, even though they had pretended to Bella that they didn't. That was more hurtful than anything. Everything Bella had been told by the Cullens had been a lie.

"It's okay, honey. I'm here." Jacob pressed a soft kiss into her hair. "We'll figure this out I promise."

"How?" Bella pleaded as she raised her tearstained face to his. "Whenever we try to find answers all we get is more questions."

"I'm going to talk to Tori." Charlie interjected before Jacob could respond. He was heartbroken to see his daughter so emotionally battered. Like everyone else he was struggling to understand the change in narrative. The chronicle of events had been twisted so much that none if it made sense.

"What good will that do, chief?" Billy asked him in concern. Like his friend it hurt him to see Bella so upset. He was proud of his son for doing a fine job of consoling the poor girl. Already her hysterical weeping had lessened and she seemed more in control of herself. "Will Tori even tell you the truth? She must have known some of this. She was this James' mate for goodness sake."

"I'll make her tell me." Charlie was livid. He felt like he had been played just like his daughter. He had begun to trust Tori but Rosalie Hale's story had put doubts in his mind.

"I don't think it's safe for you to see Tori alone." Jacob warned the older man. He could see that the police chief was on the verge of exploding. If Tori was caught out in a lie than Charlie was likely to go at her all guns blazing, and despite her restraint so far, the fiery red head could lose it. "I'll send some of the pack with you."

"No." Charlie said sternly. "She won't talk if she thinks we've got an audience. I need to do this alone."

"I can't allow that." Jacob replied firmly. "I won't allow you to place yourself in danger like that."

"He's right, chief. Don't be reckless." Billy added.

Charlie's brows drew down in a deep frown as his eyes wandered to his precious daughter. He hated that she was suffering so much and he was determined to fix it. If it was answers they needed then he was going to damn well get some from the only source they had available to them. Bella gazed back at him, her eyes wet with tears. It was almost like she could read his mind. "I need to go, kiddo. And I need to go alone without any backup."

"Then you should go." Bella whispered hoarsely. She heard the collective gasps of surprise from Jacob and Billy that she was agreeing to Charlie putting himself in the firing line. But she knew he had to do this, and he was right, he had to go alone. He was the only one who could get Tori to talk.

* * *

The first orange hued rays of sunrise kissed the sky as Charlie parked in his driveway and slowly exited the vehicle. He slammed the door of the cruiser shut and stood upright, gazing up at the heavens. Brilliant gold and orange hues bled across the horizon. The first sliver of sun peeked over the skyline like a radiant yellow ball of fire. It was beautiful, stunning as it rose slowly upwards in all its golden glory.

"I was waiting for your call." Tori stepped out of the shadows. The light spilling from the sky set her curly red hair ablaze. Each strand was on fire, her golden brown eyes were wary, her lithe limbs tense as she stepped lightly down the porch steps.

Charlie had to look away from her in order to hide the pain on his face. He shoved his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans and stared down at his heavy boots. "I want you to tell me the truth about James. I want to know what you've been hiding."

There was a sharp hiss. Tori scowled, shaking her red curls away from her face as she glared at him angrily. "Why are you bringing him up now?"

"Because Carlisle Cullen knew him already. The whole coven pretended they had no idea who James was when they ran across the three of you that night when they went to that meadow to play baseball. Bella told me. If James and Carlisle knew of each other, than that means that you did, too." Charlie slowly turned around to face her. His voice was angry, his eyes full of disappointment and disgust as he looked at Tori's lovely face. "You've really been playing me for a fool all this time, haven't you. Alice Cullen was right when she warned us not to trust you. But we did and now here we are."

Tori blanched as if Charlie had physically slapped her. She circled him, her eyes wild, her fingers twitching alarmingly. "How dare you accuse me of such things? If I wanted to harm you or her I would have done so by now."

Charlie stared at her, his heart wanting to believe in her still, but his head warning him to be wary. "You haven't told me the whole truth though, have you. What are you hiding?"

Tori paced around him, forcing Charlie to turn so he could follow her crazy movements. He sensed she was losing control and was barely managing to restrain herself from slapping him. He imagined her cold hard hand making contact with his face. He saw his head rock back from the force of the blow and heard the snap of his neck as his body tumbled to the ground. Bile rose in his throat as he forced the sick image from his mind. Tori had never hurt him. Even now when she was mad as hell at him, her self-discipline kept her from falling over the edge.

"Carlisle Cullen worked in the infirmary where my sister, Anne, was being treated for consumption." She revealed suddenly. "I cannot prove it, but I believe she had the same golden blood as your daughter and that's what sparked his interest in her. I didn't find this out until decades after she was killed by Demetri and the other Volturi guards. She never confided to me who changed her or what led to it. I spent years travelling from place to place, trying to find out the truth and put the pieces together. From various sources that I crossed paths with over the years, Carlisle Cullen's name kept coming up over and over again. I began investigating him specifically and that's when I found out his connection to my sister. I believe he was the one who changed her."

"My god." Charlie stared at Tori, completely stunned. He rubbed a shaking hand over his face. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"You had to hear it from someone close to him. I was never sure you would have believed me if I brought it up. I wasn't sure about the golden blood element, not until we found out about your daughter..." Tori was distraught. She was no longer hiding her true feelings. She paced agitatedly back and forth.

"Shit, Tori, you should have trusted me." Charlie closed his eyes briefly, swallowing again. "Your sister's story echoes Alice Cullen's."

"I swear I didn't know who Alice Cullen was until we came across her and your daughter in the meadow that day. I had no idea that James had tracked her before until then, or that she was part of the reason he became so excited by the prospect of hunting not only your daughter, but finishing off Alice at the same time. You were right to call him a brute. It was all a sick, twisted game to him. The hunt was his obsession. He had unparalleled senses. Absolutely lethal." Tori stopped pacing and stared at Charlie, her golden eyes darkening to black. "You have no idea what my life was like with him. I could never escape him. I tried at the beginning. Remember I told you?"

Charlie nodded.

"He tracked me doggedly for months until he caught me. My gift intrigued him. None of his victims had ever managed to evade him for so long before. He decided to take me as his mate. That is the only reason I exist now. Otherwise he would have killed me just like all the others."

"Tori." Charlie said thickly. Without thinking he wrapped his arms around her and drew her head to his chest. He expected her to fight him, but instead she stayed still within the circle of his arms. She didn't even pretend to breathe, but remained motionless as if suspended in time.

Charlie dared to stroke her vibrant hair. He breathed shallowly, his heart racing in his chest. "The common factor here seems to be Alice and Carlisle. I understand why James went after my daughter now, it wasn't just the thrill of the chase, but the culmination of his hunt for the one that got away... _Alice_."

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	89. Chapter 89

**Jacob Moves In**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

 _ **A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

 **Chapter Eighty Nine**

Bella was calmer now. She stayed enfolded in Jacob's strong arms, comforted by his warm embrace. It allowed her to breathe and to begin to think logically about the new set of revelations. "So, it comes down to Carlisle and Alice. They are the common denominators in everything."

"It seems so." Jacob kissed the side of her head gently.

"Carlisle's actions are driven by his quest to find a cure for vampirism. Even though he enjoys taking the moral high ground, the fact that he is willing to risk the lives of innocent people who have the golden blood, goes against everything he is meant to stand for. Lives have been lost already-Alice, Anne, and maybe others we don't know about. Carlisle turned them into vampires as if this somehow absolved him of any guilt in them losing their lives in the first place."

"He seems to think that having a semblance of a life is better than having no life at all." Jacob mused as he played with the fingers of her left hand.

"Yes." Bella intertwined their fingers and pulled his arm tighter around her body. "It's Alice's intentions that remain a mystery. Rosalie painted a totally different picture to what we had assumed about her."

"Yeah." Jacob frowned. "I can't figure her out yet. Is she friend or foe? Or perhaps both."

"Right now I'm thinking both." Bella sighed. It hurt thinking about her former friend. Alice had been driven from the outset, determined for the two of them to be close when she started a relationship with Edward. Her friendship had felt so genuine to Bella. Heavens, she had even trusted Alice enough to run off with her to Italy to try and save Edward from himself. But Bella now knew for certain that wouldn't have happened if Rosalie had kept her mouth shut and not told Edward she was potentially dead.

"What intrigues me the most is the relationship she has built up between two potential mates." Jacob pointed out.

"Jasper and Demetri." Bella turned around in his embrace and looked up at his handsome face. Despite the seriousness of the situation it felt good to be able to talk to Jacob, instead of a mixed jumble of voices confusing everything. She was always grateful for everyone's opinion but sometimes it could be overwhelming. "They are such different personalities. Carlisle recruited Jasper to lure Alice out into the open and back to the family he had created. Jas is an empath, a good fit for a newly turned vampire who had no memories of her former life, and would also prove a good guardian when she did find out that she had suffered appalling abuse in that asylum and about Carlisle's role in it. His gift would be very soothing for her."

"Yeah, it kinda makes you feel sorry for the little pixie, doesn't it." Jacob smiled wryly. "But only a bit."

Bella nodded absently. She was still brooding over Demetri and how he was tied into everything. His gift was very much like James' but so much more powerful. The Volturi considered him the best tracker in the world. The leaders never settled for anything but the best. While James had to be relatively close to his victim, Demetri could track people all across the world. "Oh, god, maybe that's it!" Bella exclaimed loudly as a startling revelation suddenly occurred to her.

"What?"

"I think the reason that Alice has chosen to pull Demetri into her web is because he is useful. He's an amazing tracker. He can literally find anyone, anywhere in the world if he needs to."

Jacob looked at her curiously. "So she's using him to track someone or something..."

"I think she may be utilising his gift to subtly track other people who carry the same blood as I do." Bella's eyes were shining eagerly as the cogs in her brain continued to turn.

"For what purpose?" Jacob asked eagerly. Bella was glowing. There was no sign of her former hysteria. She was in control again. Her last plan may have come to naught, but she was already trying to come up with another. Nothing could keep her down. He was so proud of her and loved her so much.

"To save them." Bella suggested. "I know it sounds crazy, but you heard what Rosalie said about Alice's reaction when she found out the truth. She was the one who forced them all to clear out of Forks and leave me alone. It was my stupid decision to jump off the cliff and Edward's reaction to it that created so much mess. I think it upset Alice greatly when she had that vision of me plummeting into the sea. Her vision was cut off because you came and rescued me. She genuinely thought I was dead, Jake. All her hard work to get them to leave me alone was for nothing. She came back to Forks to check if it was really true and when she found out I was alive she called Rosalie..."

"Who called Cullen and set things in motion with the Volturi. Fuck." Jacob swore as he shook his head in disbelief.

"So in the end it comes back to me. One stupid decision I made upset everything." Bella's elation died as the guilt set in and began to eat away at her again. "I think Alice has been secretly trying to track the other people in the world who have golden blood before Carlisle has a chance to find them and start the whole process again. She thought she had managed to save me but instead I managed to put myself in the firing line again, thus upsetting all her carefully laid plans."

* * *

Charlie listened quietly as Jacob told him about his conversation with Bella. She was sleeping in his room, emotionally exhausted after such a long and trying day. "It certainly makes things a lot clearer."

"Yes, it does." Charlie gazed at the setting sun. He had spent the whole day with Tori after calling Jacob and Bella, letting them know the outcome of his confrontation with her. "How is Bells?" He asked in concern.

"Blaming herself again." Jacob sighed heavily. "Nothing I say will convince her otherwise. This is down to Carlisle Cullen and the rest of them." His eyes turned hard.

"I wish I could make this all go away, son." Charlie said huskily as he watched the sun drown in its own blood. "Not just for Bella. For everyone. We've all suffered."

"I'm sorry we kept you in the dark for so long, Charlie." Jacob apologised earnestly. "Bella is blaming herself for her bad decision but we've all made them. And that is one of my biggest regrets. Dad's, too."

"I know, kid." Charlie rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "But I can see now why you did. I reacted badly when I found out. I made things a lot more difficult then they needed to be. And to be honest I deliberately had blinders on. I didn't want to see because I didn't want to deal with it. You're not the only one with regrets. I have a lifetime of them. But we all need to move forward, the past can't be changed, we can only learn from it."

"Yeah." Jacob agreed. It felt good to bond with Charlie. The constant drama and unwelcome revelations had made their relationship fractious in recent weeks.

"I want to thank you." Charlie continued gruffly. "I never say it enough but I appreciate what you've done for Bells. I'm so glad she has you. I'm proud of you son, alright." He cleared his throat awkwardly, forever uncomfortable with graphic displays of emotion.

"Thanks, Charlie. That means a lot." Jacob felt tears prick at his eyes. He hadn't realised until that moment how much having Charlie's approval meant to him.

* * *

Tori was hunting. She ran through the forest, skilfully avoiding anything in her path that tried to trip her. She was chasing a deer. The young buck bounded in front of her, occasionally getting entangled in undergrowth. Tori was slow to kill it, for some reason her mind was unfocused. Her interaction with Charlie had shaken her greatly. She could still feel the lingering warmth from his arms as he embraced her, the rough cadence of his voice as he tried to comfort her. This was the closest they had physically gotten and the surprising intensity of the feelings it had invoked inside had frozen her to the spot. She had spent many hours afterwards trying to analyse her feelings, while she longed for him to embrace her again. But even though she had spent the rest of the day in his company, Charlie kept his distance and Tori was confused as to why.

Suddenly the young buck stopped as if it had hit an invisible brick wall. Tori slowed down, keeping a few feet between them. She could see the animal's ears quivering, its sensitive nose trembling as it tested the air for a faint scent of another predator. Tori tensed, her whole body becoming taut as she did the same, trying to detect what the young buck had already sensed. There was nothing. She swallowed thickly, the fine hairs on her neck beginning to rise. The hunter was becoming the hunted. Someone was watching her. She could sense it, even if she couldn't see or smell them. Backing away slowly, Tori began to retreat, ready to take flight at a seconds notice. The air was vibrating with tension. The young buck was backing away too, every muscle in his body quivering with the effort to not make a sound.

Then there it was, the faintest rustle of grass. Tori turned around and bolted for her life. But it was too little, too late. She was grabbed from behind and pulled backwards. The sheer weight of her enemy pulled her down, sending her tumbling to the ground at their feet. There was only one person who could capture her so easily, especially with her gift for evasion. Tori gazed miserably up at Demetri as he towered menacingly above her.

 _ **A/N-thanks for reading!**_


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